By Zainab Shafiq 
The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualifiers are currently underway in Zimbabwe, determining the final two teams to join the eight qualifiers from the Cricket World Cup Super League. As Sri Lanka secured their spot in the mega event, the competition for the remaining berth intensifies among Zimbabwe, Scotland, and the Netherlands, with West Indies and Oman already eliminated from contention.
In the Super Six stage, Sri Lanka leads the points table with eight points from four matches. Zimbabwe holds second place with six points from as many matches, while Scotland and the Netherlands have four points each from three and four games respectively. West Indies and Oman have yet to secure any points after three and four matches.
The qualification scenarios are as follows: Zimbabwe must win their crucial match against Scotland to stay in the tournament. A loss would result in their elimination, while a victory would guarantee their qualification. Scotland, on the other hand, needs to win against Zimbabwe and either defeat the Netherlands or avoid a significant loss to maintain their chances. The Netherlands hopes for a Scotland victory over Zimbabwe and then aims to defeat Scotland by a considerable margin to secure their spot.
The remaining Super Six fixtures include Zimbabwe versus Scotland at Queen’s Sports Club on Tuesday, West Indies versus Oman at Harare Sports Club on Wednesday, Scotland versus the Netherlands at Queen’s Sports Club on Thursday, Sri Lanka versus West Indies at Harare Sports Club on Friday, and the final match at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
Looking ahead to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, 10 teams will compete across 10 venues from October 5 to November 19. The tournament will follow a round-robin format, featuring 45 league matches where all teams will face each other. The top four teams will advance to the semifinals, scheduled to take place in Mumbai and Kolkata, with reserve days allocated for the semis and the final.
Anas Ahmed