Dubai 22nd August : Pakistan and New Zealand after their ODI series wins over Netherlands and West Indies respectively on Sunday they have improved their chances of directly qualifying to play in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup to be held in India next year.However the West Indies will have to be reliant on other results in order to stay out of the Qualifier next year.
Babar Azam’s team scored a narrow victory of nine runs over a spirited Netherlands in Rotterdam on Sunday.They are now level in points with second-placed Bangladesh due to of the victory.
Only the net run rate divides Pakistan from Bangladesh currently, with England leading all teams by 125 points after their 18 games played.
New Zealand’s five-wicket victory against the West Indies also saw them gain an important 10 Cricket World Cup Super League points, while they held fourth in the table with the total of 110 points as per ICC.
The outcome of the series ‘ final at the Kensington Oval in Barbados was not a good one for West Indies though, who have now played 24 of their Super League matches and sit seventh in the standings at present.
The top eight teams won’t be able to qualify directly for the 50-over World Cup in India, and West Indies would need a host of other outcomes going their way to stay in that top eight at the conclusion of the qualifying period.
India are in a position to get ahead of fifth-placed Afghanistan when they face Zimbabwe in the third and final ODI of their series in Harare on Monday.
If West Indies finish outside the top eight in the standings, they will be forced to enter the qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe in the coming year along with the other teams as well as five Associate teams, just to qualify for next year’s 50-over international tournament.
West Indies are the two-time winners of the World Cup having lifted the trophy in 1975 and 1979, and were runners-up in 1983.
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