Zimbabwe Eliminated from ICC World Cup Qualifiers: Zimbabwe got eliminated from the ICC ODI World Cup Qualifiers race as Scotland defeated host Zimbabwe by a 31-run margin. Call it bad luck or poor performance, this loss against Scotland has thrown one of the most promising sides Zimbabwe out of the Qualifiers tournament.
Zimbabwe chose to bowl first after winning the toss. Scotland limped to a mediocre total of 234 with only Michael Leask standing out with the bat. After commanding most of the first innings, Zimbabwe let things go at the death, where they had been so good throughout the tournament. Leask and Watt’s late push allowed Scotland to squeeze up 234-8, a score that was somewhat below par, with 54 runs coming off the final 5 overs.
Zimbabwe had a disastrous start to the chase. Zimbabwe’s top order was in turmoil after Chris Sole’s first session with the new ball. The brunt of the damage was done by Chris Sole as Zimbabwe lost 4 wickets during the powerplay.
At 37-4, they were already in a terrible situation, but when they lost Raza in the 18th over with only 91 on the board, things only got worse. Ryan Burl gave it his all, but he was running short of partners and eventually Zimbabwe was unable to cross the line.
ICC World Cup Qualifiers Points Table
| POS | TEAM | PLAYED | WON | LOST | N/R | TIED | NET RR | POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sri Lanka (Q) | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1.817 | 8 |
| 2 | Scotland | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.296 | 6 |
| 3 | Zimbabwe | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -0.099 | 6 |
| 4 | Netherlands | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -0.042 | 4 |
| 5 | West Indies | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -0.510 | 0 |
| 6 | Oman | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | -2.072 | 0 |
Zimbabwe suffered a heart-wrenching loss; although playing excellent cricket throughout the tournament, they fell short in these last two matches exactly when it mattered the most. Going out of the competition in this way won’t feel good to the Zimbabwean squad or fans.
Whereas, Scotland deserve praises. By winning this game, they’ve not only kept themselves alive but they’ve also given the Netherlands an opportunity to make it to the World Cup. They showed up when the stakes were high, they could be the one to take it all.
Now, the decider for the second qualifying side for ICC World Cup Qualifiers will be played between Scotland and Netherlands on July 6. The outcome of the next match between Scotland and the Netherlands will essentially determine who flies to India. A thrilling match that concludes with joy for one side and disappointment for the other.
READ: ICC World Cup Qualifiers Points Table Updated (July 4) After Zimbabwe vs Scotland (Super Six)
For more details head to ICC’s official website.