USA Qualify for Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualifier Play-off Event

USA Qualify for Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualifier Play-off Event

The United States cricket team secured a spot in the final qualifying tournament for this year’s Cricket World Cup with a tense 25-run victory over Jersey on Tuesday. This marks the first time that the Americans have qualified for the main tournament.

The USA secured a top-two finish in the Qualifier Play-off event in Namibia with their fourth win from five matches. The team had only previously qualified for a global ICC event once, the 2004 Champions Trophy, where they were knocked out in the first round.

The American team will also qualify automatically for next year’s T20 World Cup as co-hosts with the West Indies.

Match Details

American opener Steven Taylor made 79 in a total of 231 after Jersey won the toss and elected to bowl first. Seamer Ali Khan put the US on track for a comfortable win with a magnificent opening spell, leaving Jersey reeling at 17-5.

Asa Tribe (75) and Benjamin Ward (46) made it a nervy finale with a 97-run stand for the seventh wicket. However, Khan returned to take two crucial late wickets, finishing with 7-32 as Jersey came up short and was knocked out of top-two contention.

The final matches of the play-off will be held on Wednesday, with the United Arab Emirates, Namibia, and Canada all in contention to join the USA in going through. The 10-team final qualifier will be held in Zimbabwe from June 18 to July 9.

The Netherlands, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies will all be competing for the two last World Cup places up for grabs, along with Scotland, Oman, and Nepal.

This year’s World Cup will be hosted in India from October to November.