ICC announced the schedule of ICC World Cup Qualifier 2018 which is scheduled to be held in Zimbabwe on March. They also revealed the two groups as each group is consists of five teams.
Bottom four ICC full members sides will fight with ICC top associates sides for that two remaining spot of ICC World Cup 2019. West Indies, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe and Ireland had already came down to qualification cycle as per their ranking. Later, they are joined by top four sides of ICC WCCL 2015-17, Netherlands, Scotland, PNG and Hongkong. Top two sides from ICC WCL Division II will join them to fill the all 10 teams necessity for Qualification tournament. UAE, Kenya, Nepal, Namibia, Oman and Canada will fight with each other in ICC WCL Division II on February. Top two sides will continue their qualification cycle where bottom fours qualification cycle will come to conclusion.
As per ICC latest decision, 4 associates team will be rewarded ODI status for next four years. ICC has announced that Netherlands (ICC World Cricket League Championship winners) and the top-3 finishing Associate Members in the World Cup Qualifiers will get ODI status till 2022. Previously, all 6 associates nation participating in qualifier used to get ODI status but ICC reduced two quota this time as bottom two associates nation will not be awarded the status from this tournament.
ICC World Cup Qualifiers Groups:
Group A: West Indies, Ireland, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea and Winner of ICC WCL Division II
Group B: Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Scotland, Hong Kong and Runner-up of ICC WCL Division II.
