Two time champions West Indies fail to qualify for ODI World Cup for the first time in history

The West Indies cricket team has suffered a major setback as they failed to secure a spot in the upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup. Their hopes were dashed after a defeat to Scotland in the Super Six stage of the ongoing World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe. This unfortunate outcome means that the team from the Caribbean will not be participating in the prestigious tournament for the first time in its history.

The West Indies, who were crowned champions in the inaugural World Cups of 1975 and 1979, and were runners-up in 1983, will now have to watch from the sidelines as the cricketing world gathers in India later this year. The absence of such a renowned team will undoubtedly be felt, adding a new dynamic to the competition.

The West Indies found themselves in the World Cup Qualifiers due to their ninth-place finish in the ODI Super League. Only the top eight teams were granted direct entry to the ten-team tournament, leaving the West Indies with the arduous task of fighting their way through the qualifiers.

Placed in Group A alongside Zimbabwe, Netherlands, USA, and Nepal, the West Indies faced a challenging road ahead. The tournament format dictated that the top three teams from each group would progress to the Super Six stage. However, it was crucial for these teams to carry forward the points earned from their matches against the other qualifying teams.

The West Indies commenced the Qualifiers on a positive note, securing victories against the USA and Nepal. However, their momentum was halted by defeats to Zimbabwe and the Netherlands. Consequently, although they managed to qualify for the Super Six, they entered the round with zero points, while Zimbabwe carried forward four points and the Netherlands had two. In Group B, Sri Lanka secured a spot in the Super Six with four points, followed by Scotland with two points, and Oman with none.

Subsequently, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka triumphed in their initial Super Six matches, accumulating six points each. This left the West Indies in a precarious position, as they needed to win all three of their remaining games against Scotland, Sri Lanka, and Oman to have any hope of catching up to Zimbabwe or Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, their defeat to Scotland dashed their aspirations, as the maximum points they can now achieve is four, which falls short of the top-two finish required to secure a World Cup ticket to India.

This setback serves as a continuation of the West Indies’ decline in the limited-overs format. Their qualification for the 2019 ODI World Cup in England was a close call, achieved through the World Cup Qualifiers, where they narrowly advanced to the final at the expense of Scotland in a rain-affected match. Furthermore, they failed to progress to the Super 12 stage of the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, having won only one match (against Zimbabwe) and lost two (to Scotland and Ireland) in their group stage.

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