The Nepalese national team are well and truly in the race for the top three spot of CWC League 2. Despite a poor start to the series, 100% results in the previous home series and three wins in the recently concluded series in UAE have kept the direct Global Qualifier of the Cricket World Cup 2023 hopes alive for Nepal.
Yet, Nepal has no margin for error as they need to win all remaining four matches in the decisive home Tri-Series against United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Papua New Guinea (PNG) starting Tomorrow (March 9). Four wins will see Nepal go past Namibia and take the number three position in the table.
What if Nepal wins all the remaining matches?
CWC League 2’s top three teams would get a spot in the World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe. Those three will join the bottom five teams of the Super League. Later, Two teams from Qualifier Play-off will join, and ten teams will battle for the remaining two spots in the Cricket World Cup 2023 in India.
Champions Scotland and Oman have already sealed the ticket for Qualifiers. As of today (March 8), the Netherlands, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Ireland and South Africa, being in the bottom five of the Super League, need to play the Qualifiers. However, things could change as there are fixtures remaining.
If Nepal are able to grab four victories on home soil, they will retain their ODI status and join Scotland and Oman, along with other big teams, in Zimbabwe for the World Cup Qualifiers. But the World Cup dream won’t be over even if they can’t bag eight points from the remaining fixtures.
But, What if Nepal fails to win all the remaining matches?
In case of loss or any halt could stop Nepal from securing the third position in the table. With a chance of rain in Kathmandu, Nepal’s dream could shatter, and they need to follow a more difficult path.
The bottom four teams of CWC League 2 will be joined by the top two teams of the Challenge League in the Qualifier Play-off. Canada and Jersey being the top teams of Group A and Group B respectively, in the Challenge League, are set to join four teams. The two teams from Qualifier Play-off will make their way to Zimbabwe in the World Cup Qualifier.
Moreover, even two victories from four matches will take Nepal ahead of the USA, which will retain the ODI status of Nepal.
Nepal are set to play PNG in the first match of the decisive series on Thursday. Nepal will be eying the third spot while the UAE will look for a couple of wins to go past the USA in the table as their top three hope is over. PNG, on the other hand, will finish at the bottom of the table even if they win the remaining matches.
