Afghanistan have secured direct qualification for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup after rain washed out the opening ODI of their three-match series against Ireland in Belfast. The match was abandoned without a ball being bowled, with the result ensuring Afghanistan earned enough ranking points to seal their place in the tournament.
The washout earned Afghanistan enough ranking points to secure their place in the World Cup, while Ireland’s hopes of direct qualification were ended. Ireland, ranked 12th in the ICC ODI rankings, needed to win the series 3-0, along with favourable results in other matches, to secure direct qualification. They will now have to compete in the World Cup Qualifier tournament for a place in the 2027 event.
The 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia and will feature 14 teams. Hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe have already secured their places, while India, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, England, Bangladesh and Afghanistan have also qualified directly. Namibia, despite being one of the co-hosts, will have to go through the qualifying process to earn a place in the tournament.
ICC finalises dates for 2027 ODI World Cup qualifiers
On the other hand, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has finalised the dates for the 2027 ODI World Cup Qualifier tournament. According to the details, the 10-team qualifying tournament will be held from February 22 to March 23, 2027. However, the host country has yet to be decided.
Under the ICC’s new qualification format, the team that wins the qualifier will earn direct qualification for the main tournament of the 14-team World Cup. The teams finishing second, third and fourth will advance to the Super Series, where only one team will secure a place in the main event. The 2027 ODI World Cup will be played across 12 venues in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from October 4 to November 11, 2027.
The 10-team qualifier will comprise the two lowest-ranked full-member teams, the four highest-ranked teams from Cricket World Cup League 2, and the four teams that qualify through the World Cup Qualifier Play-offs. Meanwhile, the West Indies’ direct qualification for the 2027 World Cup remains uncertain.
The West Indies are currently ranked 10th in the ICC ODI rankings, while their upcoming two-match ODI series against India in September could have a significant impact on their chances of securing direct qualification.
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