Zimbabwe to Co-Host 2027 ODI World Cup

[CholeZimbo]

Also, it is high time they put up those floodlights at HSC. SZ, any reason why they still haven't? many years ago the reason was that the lights were stuck in customs and that is like 7 or 8 years ago

[Marshmallow]

So looks like the CWC Super League is dead after this edition.
10 highest ranked team will automatically qualify and remaining team will determined through global qualifier.
It's very unfortunate to see Super league concept going to stop. Super league concept give more chances to smaller teams to compete against bigger teams.
https://twitter.com/ICCMediaComms/statu ... 2RNfQ&s=08

[TapsC2]

So looks like the CWC Super League is dead after this edition.
10 highest ranked team will automatically qualify and remaining team will determined through global qualifier.
It's very unfortunate to see Super league concept going to stop. Super league concept give more chances to smaller teams to compete against bigger teams.
https://twitter.com/ICCMediaComms/statu ... 2RNfQ&s=08

For me this might actually save ODI cricket. Playing 24 ODIs over 2 and a half years just isn't enough. T20s were now becoming the priority

[secretzimbo]

Also, it is high time they put up those floodlights at HSC. SZ, any reason why they still haven't? many years ago the reason was that the lights were stuck in customs and that is like 7 or 8 years ago

Yeah they were apparently in ‘customs’ for a long time (debatable whether that’s true though). I think Googly has said they’ve been in the car park at the ground for a number of years though. They can’t put them up because the towers they built are upside down

[secretzimbo]

So looks like the CWC Super League is dead after this edition.
10 highest ranked team will automatically qualify and remaining team will determined through global qualifier.
It's very unfortunate to see Super league concept going to stop. Super league concept give more chances to smaller teams to compete against bigger teams.
https://twitter.com/ICCMediaComms/statu ... 2RNfQ&s=08

I reckon this is dreadful for ZC potentially. We’ll be back to whoring ourselves out to bigger boards in exchange for a few measly meaningless fixtures once every few years.

[CholeZimbo]

Also, it is high time they put up those floodlights at HSC. SZ, any reason why they still haven't? many years ago the reason was that the lights were stuck in customs and that is like 7 or 8 years ago

Yeah they were apparently in ‘customs’ for a long time (debatable whether that’s true though). I think Googly has said they’ve been in the car park at the ground for a number of years though. They can’t put them up because the towers they built are upside down

that explains it, it would be more embarrassing to embark on a project to put them upright

[Kriterion_BD]

I reckon this is dreadful for ZC potentially. We’ll be back to whoring ourselves out to bigger boards in exchange for a few measly meaningless fixtures once every few years.

I was thinking this saves ZC from the possibility of relegation to World Cup League 2, which was unlikely, but then again I didn't expect Taylor to quit before the 2023 WC either. If the other Big 4 quit in the next 18 months, ZIM could have struggled heavily to qualify for the next Super League.

Now there will be a higher volume of ODI cricket at least. 5 match series vs BD, SL, WI, AFG.

For me this might actually save ODI cricket. Playing 24 ODIs over 2 and a half years just isn't enough. T20s were now becoming the priority

Bingo. Hated seeing 5 T20 series and just 3 ODIs. I hope this brings back the 5 ODI series. Although the Super League concept was good...the first cycle got hit with COVID plus India refusing to play PAK so only 8 series per cycle. This will hopefully bring ODIs back to the forefrunt.

[secretzimbo]

I'm of the opposite opinion really. A 5-match (or however many matches) random bilateral series with no consequence is boring beyond belief. The same few teams playing dozens of matches against each other for no real reason whatsoever.

The super league has added a lot of context, at least for the bottom handful of teams. Qualifying for the world cup and picking up points and moving up the table has been exciting to follow and from a Zimbabwean point of view has added a lot of context to the series. Would we really haver given anywhere as near as much of a fuck about an ODI series with Ireland if there weren't 30 points on the table and potential WC qualification/avoiding 13th place?

It might not have added anything for the top teams but for the bottom group it's been really good.

Sure, we might go back to playing 5 or 6 random matches against Bangladesh every year but it will be for basically no reason.

I think the World Test Championship has been great - cricket with consequence. I wish we could be in it or even a second division.
And I think the Super League has unfortunately been badly impacted by Covid and the top nations not having to care - but still a good concept.

And why can't we have a Super League even without qualification on the line? It can still be interesting and competitive with teams wanting to win it - just like the Test Championship. It doesn't have to be a means to an end. Pretty sure it could survive on its own.

Without it we are very unlikely to be playing anyone other than Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Ireland. We can kiss goodbye to ever potentially playing England. Australia probably wont bother again after this cycle. India and Pakistan will only come if we whore ourselves out and vote with them on something.


I feel for the Netherlands the most. Worked their arses off to qualify for the league and get all these glamour fixtures. Now, regardless of how well they do, they are going to go back to basically zero guaranteed fixtures and having to beg (and compete with Ireland & Scotland) for any teams going to England to pop over the channel for a courtesy game.

[secretzimbo]

Actually I don't mind us being threatened with relegation or whatever. Having those very real risks are the very thing ZC and the twats within it need.

Not automatically qualifying for 2019/2021 WC's are probably the best things that could have happened to us long term. ZC appear to actually be trying to make an effort with things at the moment. Because they know its in their interests for us to actually perform and improve and qualify.

Previously, when we were basically guaranteed qualification as full members, it made absolutely no difference to the board whatsoever how well we did or not. Nobody cared. Their pockets got lined regardless.

We need world cup qualification to be difficult. We need all our fixtures to have consequences and worth fighting for. We need threats of relegation or negative consequences.

Otherwise you watch and see Takemore, Mukuhlani and the whole gang fall back to their own ways.

[sam_ahm]

Guys as of now the WSL is going on until 2023 so teams should focus on that. It is nowhere mentioned by the ICC that WSL is scrapped even beyond that. As secretzimbo has mentioned, they may yet keep it as a stand alone competition and at the end of it look at the rankings table. I mean who knows.

If it is scrapped, then obviously the teams outside of top 9, suffer the most. Associates +Zim, Ire, Afg. It's a sad state of affairs but it is how it is and I don't expect anything good from the ICC anyways.

I just hope the teams outside of top 9 make a strong statement in the current WSL and then subsequently in the WCQ. Imagine one of the big teams missing out on a WC berth and instead Zimbabwe or Ireland or Netherlands qualifying! Afghans missing out will also hurt the ICC as Afghans for some reason are their favt boys.

I sincerely hope Afghans and one of the big teams whoever finishes outside of top 8, goes on to miss the WC 2023 with Zimbabwe and Ireland qualifying (won't mind Netherlands or Scotland ahead of Ireland either) . That'll be massive.