Harare: Two-time champions West Indies are out of contention for the World Cup to be held in India this year. Scotland dashed their hopes of qualifying for the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup by defeating them by seven wickets in the Super Six stage of the qualifiers tournament at the Harare Sports Club ground on Saturday.
West Indies were champions of the first two editions of the World Cup in 1975 and 1979 and were runners-up in the 1983 final, losing to India. The 13th edition of the ODI World Cup will be held in India from 5 October to 19 November. This will be the first time that there will be no West Indies team in the ODI World Cup.
The sorry state of West Indies cricket has been going on for a long time. They also failed to make it to the Super 12 stage of the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia after winning only one game out of three in the group stage in Hobart.
The West Indies came into the ODI World Cup qualifiers with little chance of finishing in the top two at the Super Six stage and qualifying for the ODI World Cup. They entered the Super Sixes with no points after group stage losses to Zimbabwe and the Netherlands and needed to win all three of their matches to qualify. A poor batting performance in a do-or-die match against Scotland saw West Indies Get out for just 181 runs. Scotland chased down the target of 182 without much trouble with 39 balls to spare.
Matthew Cross and Brendon McMullan scored the fifties as Scotland put on a match-winning 125-run stand to keep their team’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup alive.
Brief scores: West Indies 181 in 43.5 overs (Jason Holder 45, Romario Shepherd 36; Brandon McMullen 3-32, Mark Watt 2-25) Scotland 185/3 in 43.3 overs (Matthew Cross 74 not out, Brandon McMullen 69; Akil Hossein 1) -26, Romario Shepherd 1-28)
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