Dubai, Nov 3 (IANS) Jersey and Kuwait have kept their hopes of qualifying for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 alive after finishing in the top two positions in Challenge League A, securing their places in the upcoming Qualifier Play-off.
Jersey topped the 15-match campaign with an impressive record, suffering just two defeats to finish five points clear of second-placed Kuwait. The two teams will now compete in the eight-team qualifier play-off, which will determine the final four places in the Cricket World Cup qualifier.
Kuwait, meanwhile, secured the second spot after a strong finish to their campaign and some crucial results going their way. They finished seven points ahead of Denmark, the next-best team in the standings, with the latter losing important matches against Kenya and Papua New Guinea in the final leg of the competition.
The qualifier play-off will feature the top two teams from Challenge League A and Challenge League B, along with the bottom four sides from Cricket World Cup League 2, the competition immediately above the Challenge League in the 50-over qualification structure.
Italy and Uganda have already secured the top two positions in Challenge League B and will join Jersey and Kuwait in the tournament.
Canada, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates have also finished in the bottom four of League 2 and will compete in the Play-off. Oman are currently fourth, but Namibia remain in contention to overtake them before the League 2 campaign concludes on Wednesday.
Oman need to avoid a heavy defeat against the United Arab Emirates to retain their fourth position and secure a place in the Qualifier Play-off, which would leave Namibia among the teams in the tournament.
The qualifier play-off will also mark a significant milestone for Kuwait, as the team will make their first-ever appearance in One Day Internationals (ODIs). The tournament carries ODI status.
Jersey, meanwhile, have previous experience of the competition, having featured in the equivalent tournament in the previous qualification cycle in 2023. They won one of their five matches, defeating Papua New Guinea.
Meanwhile, the United States, Scotland and the Netherlands have already secured top-four finishes in League 2 and qualified directly for the Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
–IANS
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