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The 2027 ODI World Cup Qualifier will be held from February 22 to March 23 next year, Cricinfo reported.
While the ICC has finalised the tournament dates, the host venue is yet to be confirmed. Under the revamped qualification structure for the 2027 World Cup, unveiled by the ICC in July, the winner of the 10-team Qualifier will secure a direct place in the 14-team World Cup group stage. The teams finishing second, third and fourth in the Qualifier will advance to the tournament's opening phase, known as the Super Series. They will compete for the remaining spot in the 12-team main stage, with only the top-ranked side progressing. The 2027 ODI World Cup will be played across 12 venues in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from October 4 to November 21. The 10-team Qualifier will feature the two lowest-ranked Full Members in the ODI rankings, excluding hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe, as of September 30, 2026. They will be joined by the top four teams from the Cricket World Cup League 2 and the top four sides from the World Cup Qualifier Playoff. The eight-team Qualifier Playoff will comprise the bottom four teams from Cricket World Cup League 2 and the top four teams from the Challenge League, cricket's third-tier competition. While the format of the Playoff is yet to be finalised, the top four finishers will qualify for the World Cup Qualifier. The Challenge League will comprise 12 teams split into two groups of six, with each group playing three round-robin tournaments over the course of the qualification cycle. The top two teams from each group will progress to the World Cup Qualifier Playoff. West Indies are currently 10th in the ODI rankings and have just two matches remaining before the September 30 cut-off, both against India in September. Their chances of finishing in the top eight will also depend on results elsewhere, particularly the upcoming series between Afghanistan (eighth) and Ireland (12th). If Ireland win the five-match series 4-1 or 5-0, two victories over India could be enough to lift West Indies into the top eight. However, if Afghanistan win the series, West Indies will be all but certain to go through the qualification route. West Indies also failed to qualify for the 2023 ODI World Cup, suffering a heartbreaking Super Over defeat to the Netherlands in the Qualifier in Harare that ended their hopes of reaching the tournament. (ANI)
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