Oman leave door open for Namibia in Cricket World Cup League 2
Defeat against Nepal means a nervous final League 2 tri-series for Oman on the Pathway to Cricket World Cup 2027.
The last of the top-four spots from ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 is still yet to be determined with Oman falling to Nepal in Al-Amerat on Monday.
The Omanis, who had the chance to claim the final automatic spot for the Cricket World Cup Qualifier through the League 2 competition, fell by 10 runs on Monday.
It means that to this point, Namibia, currently in fifth place with 33 points having completed their 36-match cycle, can still technically finish higher than the Omanis (33 points in 32 matches), who still need one point from their remaining four matches. Four defeats would mean the two sides would be level on points and number of wins as the first tie-breaker, and their Net Run Rate figure would likely be worse than Namibia’s -0.278.
The 139-run partnership between Dipendra Singh Airee (69) and Rohit Paudel (80) laid the foundation for Nepal’s competitive total of 280. With the ball, Oman's Shah Faisal made a significant impact, claiming a five-wicket haul.
Oman’s chase was on track thanks to a 158-run stand for the second wicket between Jatinder Singh (89) and Hammad Mirza (87). However, the dismissal of both set batters shifted the momentum, with Oman needing 76 runs from the final nine overs. They then lost three more wickets for 28 runs and eventually fell short, finishing at 270/7.
The Omanis now turn their attention to United Arab Emirates, where they face the hosts and The Netherlands in the final League 2 tri-series
And there is likely no respite from Oman’s two opponents, even if their immediate futures are already decided.
The UAE, who cannot finish higher than eighth on the League 2 table, though like the rest of the bottom four teams in the table, are not yet eliminated from Cricket World Cup Qualification.
Like the other teams to finish in the bottom four of League 2, the Emiratis must now go through the Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off. They will be joined by four teams from Challenge League (Italy, Uganda and two teams yet to be determined from Challenge League A) to compete for the final four spots at the Qualifier.
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With an influx of player inclusions, UAE are desperate to find a winning formula ahead of that Playoff, and the Dutch too will be looking to find a winning formula in the ODI format, even with their spot in the Qualifier assured.
The Dutch welcome back a number of players who were tied up in UK domestic cricket through the middle of the calendar year, though there is also an eye on the future according to new head coach Ashley Noffke.
"We are looking forward to the tournament in the UAE, where we will be focusing on our style of play, our combinations and creating a great team dynamic that can continue to grow upon the solid platform that already exists,” Noffke said when announcing the squad last week.
How the Cricket World Cup Qualification pathway works
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2027 is a 14-team event, with Full Member hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe gaining automatic qualification alongside the eight-best teams on the ICC Men’s ODI Rankings at the September 30 cut-off. Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka qualified by virtue of their respective rankings.
The final four World Cup spots will be decided through the Cricket World Cup Qualifier, with six of the 10 teams competing at that Qualifier determined.
Ireland and the West Indies as the next two best teams in the ODI Rankings outside the automatically qualifying teams go straight to the Qualifier. The top three teams from Cricket World Cup League 2 have also secured their spots at the competition - USA, Scotland, The Netherlands. Either of Oman or Namibia will fill the last available spot.
The final four spots at the Qualifier will be decided via an eight-team Qualifier Play-off in late 2026.
Six of the eight teams of that Playoff have been decided. Canada, Namibia/Oman, Nepal and UAE go to the competition as the bottom four sides of League 2, while four teams come from ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League, effectively the third-tier of the 50-over cricket pyramid.
Italy and Uganda, the top two teams from the completed B Group of Challenge League, have already secured their tickets for the Play-off. The parallel A group is yet to be completed, but concludes on 31 October.