Who needs to host the 2023 World Cup in October and November in India?
Who is eligible?
Seven teams have already qualified for the 10-team competition. India (the hosts), England, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan have all advanced to the ICC World Cup Super League after winning 11 or more games.
The last spot in the Super League, which is presently taken by the West Indies, will be filled by the two top teams in a 10-team qualification event in Zimbabwe in June and July.
Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Ireland still have a shot at securing the eighth qualifying position, whilst Zimbabwe and the Netherlands are eliminated.
Wither West Indies?
World champions in 1975 and 1979, the West Indies are now seventh in the Super League and occupy the last qualification position. Yet, they have played all 24 of their games and have won just nine of them, giving them a total of 88 points.
They have no remaining games and might be eliminated by South Africa, Sri Lanka, or Ireland.
To qualify by this way, the West Indies require Sri Lanka to lose its next series against New Zealand, which begins on Saturday, the Netherlands to defeat South Africa the following week, and Bangladesh to avoid a whitewash against Ireland in May.
Position: eight
Points: 88 (Net run rate: −0.738)
0 matches to be played
Maximum points: 88
South Africa perspire
The Proteas are the easiest-breathing of the major teams still perspiring. They are presently eighth in the standings, but have two more matches against the bottom-placed Netherlands.
If Sri Lanka does not defeat New Zealand by a score of 3-0, South Africa would finish eighth and qualify for the World Cup if they win both of these matches.
One victory would tie the Proteas with the West Indies, who presently have a stronger net run rate, in terms of points.
Nevertheless, they would still require Sri Lanka to win no more than one match against New Zealand and the Irish to win no more than two of their three matches against Bangladesh while keeping a poorer net run rate.
Position: Nineteenth
Score: 78 (NRR 0.410)
Two matches to play
Maximum points: 98
Sri Lanka under control
Sri Lanka, the 1996 champions, are in the fortunate position of being in control of their own qualification.
A 3-0 victory in New Zealand will guarantee them seventh place regardless of how the other teams perform.
Tenth position
Score: 77 (NRR 0.094)
Three matches to play
Maximum points: 107
Ireland outsiders
Ireland needs everything to go their way, especially in their upcoming three-match series against Bangladesh in Chelmsford, England in May, the final Super League fixtures.
Even so, it may not be enough to succeed. They require South Africa to lose to the Netherlands and Sri Lanka to drop at least one match in New Zealand.
Position: eleventh
68 points (NRR 0.382)
Three matches to play
Maximum points: 98
Final qualifier
There is a last opportunity for the eliminated teams to qualify for India as one of the top two teams from a 10-team qualification event in Zimbabwe. Both the hosts and the Netherlands are in the running for this.
The five that drop down from the Super League will be joined by Scotland, Oman and Nepal who were the top three teams in World Cup League 2 plus two others still to be chosen.
This last two will be resolved in Namibia next week in a League 2 repechage when the hosts will be joined in a playoff battle by Papua New Guinea, UAE, USA, Jersey and Canada.