Crucial ODI World Cup qualifying points at stake for UAE and Oman national cricket teams

Qualification for the International Cricket Council men’s cricket World Cup finals, due to be played in India in October and November 2023, has been underway since 2015. A new qualification process was introduced for this tournament, which is played every four years in the 50-over or one-day international (ODI) format.

Thirty-two teams are taking part in the final stages of qualification, from which 10 will play in the finals, based on the results of a series of competitions.

The 32 teams are divided into three leagues — a Super-League of 13 teams, a League 2 of seven teams and a Challenge League of 12 teams, divided into two groups. The results of the league matches will determine which teams advance directly to the finals, which are eliminated, and which advance to other supplementary qualifying tournaments through which they can qualify for the finals. Allocation to the leagues was based on ICC member status and previous rankings.

It is in League 2 where the greatest regional interest lies, with Oman and UAE competing with Scotland, the US, Namibia, Nepal and Papua New Guinea. Matches in League 2 started in Scotland, one month after the 2019 final in which England beat New Zealand at Lords. All seven teams in League 2 will contest a total of nine tri-series. Each team will host all other teams for two ODIs and will tour every other country for two ODIs, generating 24 matches. The other 12 ODIs are to be played at neutral sites.

Once each team has completed its 36 ODIs, those with the highest number of points will join the bottom five teams from the ODI Super League in the 2022 World Cup qualifier. The teams that finish fourth to seventh in League Two enter a qualifier play-off, being joined by the top two teams