Cricket World Cup qualifier: Six talking points

Two-time champions West Indies and 1996 winners Sri Lanka are among 10 teams competing for the final two spots at this year's Cricket World Cup in India.

AFP Sport picks out six talking points at the 18 June - 9 July qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe:

Windies, Sri Lanka hoping to avoid embarrassment

Former champions Sri Lanka and the West Indies have both played at every World Cup since the inaugural edition in 1975, won by the all-conquering Caribbean side.

The Windies had to come through the qualifier for the 2019 tournament, edging into the final, where they lost to Afghanistan, to book a spot in England and Wales.

Sri Lanka, who have impressed in the longest format recently and almost reached the World Test Championship final, only mustered seven wins from 24 matches to finish 10th in the World Cup Super League table.

They kick off their Group B campaign against the UAE on Monday, after the West Indies take on the USA in their first Group A game on Sunday.

Nepal bidding for history

The cricket-mad South Asian nation are still yet to reach a World Cup but have been gradually getting closer.

Nepal finished eighth in the qualifier for the 2019 tournament and came agonisingly close to reaching last year's T20 showpiece.

They topped their group at the qualifier for that event with three straight wins, only to lose to the UAE in the semi-finals when a win would have made history.

Nepal claimed an impressive win over Oman in a warm-up game on Thursday, chasing down 268 having reduced their opponents to 7-4 with the ball.

Big year ahead for US cricket

The next 12 months promise to be groundbreaking for US cricket as the country co-hosts the 2024 T20 World Cup along with the West Indies.

Major League Cricket, a six-team T20 league