Kriterion_BD wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2024 4:44 pm
Donald wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2024 3:11 pm
We are now ahead of namibia in rankings.
Be good to beat Uganda and also South africa should we meet. Couple of wins against Bangladesh in May will seal us automatic qualification hopefully for 2016 World cup.
Namibia and Scotland are right at your heels. If Namibia were ahead, 1 game will only put them marginally behind.
It all comes down to who wins more games in the warm ups for the WC and then in the actual WC itself. if Namibia upsets just one of the top 10 teams they will go back on top. Then there is Scotland who's always there and about an upset.
The Irish looking at the moment for a series win vs Afghanistan which will net them a few important points towards auto-qualification.
Howdy all, a rare post from me here as this is very much in my wheelhouse.
The rankings qualifying contest is very much a five-horse race as it stands. Important to remember there's a May 1 rollover happening before the WC too which will shake things up a bit, most significantly bringing the Dutch into the race. All five of the teams involved are, to the best of my knowledge, currently utterly oblivious to the situation. Namibia and Zimbabwe especially have made what is on the face of it a baffling blunder sending development squads to this ongoing tournament, which would otherwise have been an absolute godsend in terms of rankings-boosting. The other three teams have a tri-series scheduled in May, and any of the three dominating that could also put them in a very strong position ahead of the WC.
Zimbabwe's particular position is somewhat precarious, but if you get through this tournament with just one loss or fewer could be in with a decent shout. The Bangladesh series is an (almost certainly accidental) smart play IMO. ZIM will likely only need to win one of five to break even on rankings, anything more a potentially decisive bonus. A sweep of remaining scheduled matches would get you over 200 and odds-on for direct qualification, but even 3rd at the AGs and 2-3 loss to Bangladesh would leave you at 194-5ish, and in with a real shot.
Still lots of relevant cricket to be played of course, and fairly sure the May 1 refresh will take a point two off ZIM, but very much in the hunt right now.