Two-time champions West Indies fail to qualify for 2023 World Cup

Two-time champions West Indies on Saturday crashed out of the race to qualify for the upcoming 2023 50-over World Cup in India, after Scotland shocked them by seven wickets in a Super Six match of the ICC World Cup Qualifier tournament, in Harare, on Saturday.

This will be the first time that West Indies, who won the first two World Cups in 1975 and 1979, won’t be a part of the 50-overs World Cup, which will be held in India later this year.

The West Indies once again produced a dismal show with the bat and were bundled out for a lowly 181 in 43.5 overs. Scotland showed no qualms in knocking off the target to win with seven wickets in hand and 6.3 overs to spare for their first victory in ODIs against the Windies.

Matt Cross (74 not out off 107 balls) and Brendon McMullen (69 off 106 balls) added 125 for the second wicket to seal the victory.

Having lost a crucial encounter in Super Over eliminator to the Netherlands in a Group A match, which followed a loss to Zimbabwe, the West Indies entered the Super Six round with no points and a net run rate which was inferior to the other teams. West Indies were always dependent on the outcome of other matches.

West Indies did have four points having earlier beaten the USA (by 35 runs) and Nepal (101 runs) in the first round, but the wheels came off rapidly owing to poor cricket across departments.

But since they lost to both Zimbabwe and the Netherlands — who both qualified for the Super Six from Group A — the West Indies carried no points further.

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