Fixtures for World Cricket League Championship announced
The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the seventh and final round fixtures of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship.
The top two sides from this tournament will qualify automatically for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, while the bottom six teams will receive a second chance to qualify at next year’s ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand, when they lock horns with Hong Kong, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and Uganda for the final two spots.
In final round action, the Netherlands will travel to Toronto where it will take on Canada on 27 and 29 August in two ODIs. Then on 6 and 8 September, Ireland, which has already won the tournament to become the first side to qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, will host Scotland in Belfast. The Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah will be the venue for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Namibia 50-over matches on 27 and 29 September.
The curtain will fall on the tournament when Afghanistan takes on Kenya at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in two ODIs on 2 and 4 October.
While Ireland cannot be overtaken irrespective of how the seventh round matches pan out, the Netherlands, Scotland and Afghanistan share second position on 15 points each, while the UAE is one point behind in fifth position. All four countries are still in the race to automatically qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.
The matches between Ireland and Scotland, UAE and Namibia, and Afghanistan and Kenya will be streamed live atwww.icc-cricket.com.
Meanwhile, the ICC has also confirmed the schedule for the final round of the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2011-2013. Ireland have already qualified for the final, and currently lead its closest rival and defending champion Afghanistan by 12 points, with Scotland a further 18 points back.
Ireland, which won the event in 2005, 2006-2007 and 2007-2008, will square off against Scotland at Clontarf, Dublin, from 11-14 September. Scotland will need an outright win to have any chance of taking second place and knocking Afghanistan out of the final.
Afghanistan takes on Kenya at Oval 1, ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City, Dubai from October 6 to 9.
Pepsi ICC WCL Championship (seventh round fixtures)
Canada v Netherlands
27 Aug – 1st ODI, King City, Toronto
29 Aug – 2nd ODI, King City, Toronto
Ireland v Scotland (to be streamed live atwww.icc-cricket.com)
6 Sep – 1st ODI, Stormont, Belfast, Northern Ireland
8 Sep – 2nd ODI, Stormont, Belfast, Northern Ireland
UAE v Namibia (to be streamed live atwww.icc-cricket.com)
27 Sep – 1st 50-over match, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
29 Sep – 2nd 50-over match, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Afghanistan v Kenya (to be streamed live atwww.icc-cricket.com)
2 Oct – 1st ODI, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
4 Oct – 2nd ODI, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
ICC Intercontinental Cup (forthcoming fixtures)
22-25 Aug - Canada v Netherlands, King City, Toronto
11-14 Sep – Ireland v Scotland, Clontarf, Dublin, Ireland
22-25 Sep – UAE v Namibia, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
6-9 Oct – Afghanistan v Kenya, GCA 1, ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City
For more information on the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship, please clickhere .
For more information on the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2011-2013, please clickhere.
Umpire and match referee appointments can be foundhere.