The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 has revealed its schedule, featuring the ten participating teams set to compete in Zimbabwe from June 18th to July 9th, 2023.
The tournament holds immense significance as teams vie for the opportunity to secure two coveted spots at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 in India, guaranteeing them nine thrilling matches at cricket's premier ODI global event.
The ten teams have been divided into two groups. Group A comprises hosts Zimbabwe, the West Indies, the Netherlands, Nepal, and the United States. Group B includes Sri Lanka, Ireland, Scotland, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
Within their respective groups, each team will face the other teams once. The top three from each group will then progress to the Super Six stage, where they will play against the teams they didn't encounter in the group stage.
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| ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 - Match Fixtures |
All points accumulated in the group stage will carry over to the Super Six stage, except for points earned against teams that fail to advance. The two finalists from the qualifier will secure their places in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.
Matches will be played across four venues in Harare and Bulawayo, namely Queen's Sports Club, Bulawayo Athletic Club, Harare Sports Club, and Takashinga Cricket Club. The final showdown will take place on July 9th at Harare Sports Club, adding to the excitement of the tournament.
The tournament opener on June 18th at Harare Sports Club will witness hosts Zimbabwe taking on Nepal, who are eager to secure their first-ever qualification for the Men's Cricket World Cup. Additionally, two-time Men's Cricket World Cup champions West Indies will face off against neighboring USA at Takashinga Cricket Club on the same day.
Group B action kicks off on June 19th in Bulawayo, featuring the 1996 World Cup champions Sri Lanka against the UAE at Queen's Sports Club. Simultaneously, Ireland will lock horns with Oman at Bulawayo Athletic Club.
On June 20th, the Netherlands will commence their campaign against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club, while Scotland will face rivals Ireland on June 21st at Queen's Sports Club in Bulawayo. The Super Six stage is set to begin on June 29th, and the bottom two teams from each group will compete in the Playoff.
A notable addition to this tournament is the implementation of the Decision Review System (DRS) for all matches from the Super Six stage onwards, ensuring fair play and accurate decision-making.
The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier marks the culmination of four years of intense competition, bringing together the bottom five teams from the ICC Men's CWC Super League, three automatic qualifiers from the ICC Men's CWC League 2, and two teams who earned their entry through the ICC Men's CWC Qualifier Play-off.
Geoff Allardice, the ICC Chief Executive, expressed excitement about the upcoming event, emphasizing its significance in determining which teams will join the already qualified eight in India. He also highlighted the unique nature of the tournament, featuring former Men's Cricket World Cup champions and emerging cricket nations from Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe.
Tavengwa Mukuhlani, Chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket, expressed enthusiasm for the highly anticipated event, expecting it to showcase thrilling and competitive cricket. He also saw it as an opportunity to exhibit Zimbabwe's cricketing passion, the warmth of its people, and the breathtaking beauty of the country and its tourist attractions.
The schedule for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier, including warm-up fixtures, is as follows:
ICC MEN'S CRICKET WORLD CUP QUALIFIER FIXTURES (All matches start at 09:00 local time)
Sunday, 18 June:
- Zimbabwe vs Nepal at Harare Sports Club
- West Indies vs USA at Takashinga Cricket Club
Monday, 19 June:
- Sri Lanka vs UAE at Queen's Sports Club
- Ireland vs Oman at Bulawayo Athletic Club
Tuesday, 20 June:
- Zimbabwe vs Netherlands at Harare Sports Club
- Nepal vs USA at Takashinga Cricket Club
Wednesday, 21 June:
- Ireland vs Scotland at Queen's Sports Club
- Oman vs UAE at Bulawayo Athletic Club
Thursday, 22 June:
- West Indies vs Nepal at Harare Sports Club
- Netherlands vs USA at Takashinga Cricket Club
Friday, 23 June:
- Sri Lanka vs Oman at Queen's Sports Club
- Scotland vs UAE at Bulawayo Athletic Club
Saturday, 24 June:
- Zimbabwe vs West Indies at Harare Sports Club
- Netherlands vs Nepal at Takashinga Cricket Club
Sunday, 25 June:
- Sri Lanka vs Ireland at Queen's Sports Club
- Scotland vs Oman at Bulawayo Athletic Club
Monday, 26 June:
- Zimbabwe vs USA at Harare Sports Club
- West Indies vs Netherlands at Takashinga Cricket Club
Tuesday, 27 June:
- Sri Lanka vs Scotland at Queen's Sports Club
- Ireland vs UAE at Bulawayo Athletic Club
Thursday, 29 June:
- Super 6: A2 vs B2 at Queen's Sports Club
Friday, 30 June:
- Super 6: A3 vs B1 at Queen's Sports Club
- Playoff: A5 vs B4 at Takashinga Cricket Club
Saturday, 1 July:
- Super 6: A1 vs B3 at Harare Sports Club
Sunday, 2 July:
- Super 6: A2 vs B1 at Queen's Sports Club
- Playoff: A4 vs B5 at Takashinga Cricket Club
Monday, 3 July:
- Super 6: A3 vs B2 at Harare Sports Club
Tuesday, 4 July:
- Super 6: A2 vs B3 at Queen's Sports Club
- Playoff: 7th vs 8th at Takashinga Cricket Club
Wednesday, 5 July:
- Super 6: A1 vs B2 at Harare Sports Club
Thursday, 6 July:
- Super 6: A3 vs B3 at Queen's Sports Club
- Playoff: 9th vs 10th at Takashinga Cricket Club
Friday, 7 July:
- Super 6: A1 vs B1 at Harare Sports Club
Sunday, 9 July:
- Final at Harare Sports Club
WARM-UP FIXTURES
Tuesday, 13 June:
- West Indies vs Scotland at Harare Sports Club
- Zimbabwe vs Oman at Takashinga Cricket Club
- Nepal vs UAE at Old Hararians Cricket Club
- Sri Lanka vs Netherlands at Queen's Sports Club
- Ireland vs USA at Bulawayo Athletic Club
Thursday, 15 June:
- Nepal vs Oman at Harare Sports Club
- West Indies vs UAE at Takashinga Cricket Club
- Zimbabwe vs Scotland at Old Hararians Cricket Club
- Ireland vs Netherlands at Queen's Sports Club
- Sri Lanka vs USA at Bulawayo Athletic Club
