Fight for Cricket World Cup spots goes down to the wire

With some groups are scraping their approach into the event — together with South Africa and Sri Lanka — the battle for locations at this yr’s Cricket World Cup went down to the wire, and there have been some shocks alongside the approach. Aside from hosts India, seven different groups certified routinely after ending amongst the prime eight in the ICC Super League. The different two spots have been secured at the World Cup qualifying event performed in Zimbabwe over the previous few weeks. And there have been a number of surprises. Missing out After competing at three successive editions of the World Cup, Ireland failed…

With some groups are scraping their approach into the event — together with South Africa and Sri Lanka — the battle for locations at this yr’s Cricket World Cup went down to the wire, and there have been some shocks alongside the approach.

Aside from hosts India, seven different groups certified routinely after ending amongst the prime eight in the ICC Super League.

The different two spots have been secured at the World Cup qualifying event performed in Zimbabwe over the previous few weeks. And there have been a number of surprises.

Missing out

After competing at three successive editions of the World Cup, Ireland failed to qualify for the world showpiece for the second time in a row after falling out in the group phases of the qualifying event.

After competing at 9 successive editions of the top-flight occasion, Zimbabwe will even miss out on their second straight World Cup after crashing out in the Super Six phases of the qualifying event.

The largest shock, nevertheless, was the failure of the West Indies – former giants of the sport – who additionally bombed out in the Super Six stage in Zimbabwe. Though they haven’t reached the remaining since 1983, West Indies have performed in all 12 earlier World Cup tournaments.

READ MORE: West Indies crash to Scotland and miss out on World Cup

Former World Cup champions Sri Lanka — who would have been a little bit embarrassed by their look at the qualifying event — saved their blushes by grabbing one among the final two qualifying spots. They shall be joined in India by the Netherlands, with all 10 World Cup groups now finalised.

However, for all the drama created by the sides that squeezed their approach into the event, and those that shall be lacking out, it’s clear that smaller nations are placing up extra of a battle to safe their place amongst the world’s prime cricketing nations.

Even the mighty Proteas, who’ve competed at each version of the World Cup since 1992, have been in peril of getting to play in the qualifying event after snatching the eighth and remaining automated spot.

Fortunately for SA and Sri Lanka, the mild nonetheless burns at the finish of the tunnel. But for the likes of West Indies and Zimbabwe, it’s again to the drafting board.