Cricket's Ultimate Showdown: 10 Nations Clash in Zimbabwe for ODI World Cup Qualifier

Each match will involve high stakes, with teams competing for two spots in the World Cup in India in October-November.

The ICC has announced that the 2023 ODI World Cup Qualifier will be held in Zimbabwe from June 18 to July 9, featuring a total of ten participating teams.

With the ultimate goal of securing two coveted spots in the World Cup held in India during October-November, each match of the qualifier holds immense significance.

The ten teams have been divided into two groups of five. Group A consists of the host nation Zimbabwe, along with the West Indies, the Netherlands, Nepal, and the United States. Group B comprises Sri Lanka, Ireland, Scotland, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
The teams within each group will compete against each other once during the initial stage, with the top three teams from each group advancing to the Super Six stage. In the Super Six, teams will face off against the opponents they haven't encountered in the group stage.

During the Super Six stage, the points earned in the group stage will be carried forward, except for the points gained against teams that fail to qualify for the Super Six stage. The two teams that reach the final will secure their spots in the World Cup 2023.

The matches will be distributed among different venues. Queen's Sports Club and Bulawayo Athletic Club in Bulawayo, as well as Harare Sports Club and Takashinga Cricket Club in Harare, will jointly host a total of 34 matches. The final match will take place at Harare Sports Club on July 9. Additionally, warm-up fixtures will be held at Old Hararians Cricket Club.

The opening match of the tournament will witness hosts Zimbabwe taking on Nepal, who are striving to secure their first-ever qualification for the World Cup. This exciting encounter will be held at Harare Sports Club on the initial matchday. Simultaneously, two-time champions West Indies will showcase their skills on June 18, facing off against neighbouring team USA at Takashinga Cricket Club.

Group B kicks off on June 19 in Bulawayo, with former champions Sri Lanka taking on the United Arab Emirates at Queen's Sports Club. Simultaneously, at Bulawayo Athletic Club, Ireland will engage in a match against Oman.

On June 20, the Netherlands will commence their campaign by facing Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club. The following day, on June 21, Scotland will confront their rivals Ireland at Queen's Sports Club in Bulawayo.

The Super Six stage is set to commence on June 29, while the bottom two teams from each group will compete in the Playoff stage.
An exciting addition to this tournament is the utilization of the Decision Review System (DRS) for all matches starting from the Super Six stage, marking the first time it will be employed in the tournament.

The Qualifier represents the pinnacle of intense competition spanning four years. It unites the bottom five teams from the ICC Men's CWC Super League, along with 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. This gathering of teams marks the culmination of their arduous journeys.

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