New Delhi, Aug 10:
Two-time champions West Indies will have to take the long route to the 2027 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup after failing to secure a direct qualification spot for the tournament.
Their fate was confirmed after Afghanistan defeated Ireland by 92 runs in the rain-affected second ODI of their five-match series at Bready Cricket Club on Friday. The result secured Afghanistan’s place in the 2027 World Cup and effectively ended West Indies’ hopes of breaking into the direct qualification positions before the September 30, 2026 cut-off.
The 2027 World Cup will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia in October-November, with matches scheduled across 12 venues.
Third successive World Cup without direct qualification
The setback is another worrying chapter in the decline of one of cricket’s most successful ODI teams.
West Indies also failed to qualify directly for the 2019 and 2023 editions. Although they successfully negotiated the qualifiers in 2019, they suffered a far more damaging setback four years later when they were eliminated in the qualification tournament and missed the 2023 World Cup in India.
They will now have to negotiate another qualifying campaign to secure a place at the 2027 showpiece.
Under the qualification system, co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe receive automatic berths, while the remaining seven direct places are determined by the ICC ODI rankings at the September 30 cut-off.
West Indies are currently 10th in the rankings, behind Afghanistan in eighth and Bangladesh in ninth. Zimbabwe, ranked 11th, are already assured of a place as co-hosts.