Sri Lanka book World Cup 2019 slot after Windies lose against England

Team Sri Lanka have managed to directly qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 after West Indies lost the first ODI against England on Tuesday. When the Windies camp started their ODI series against the English side, they were expected to win the series with absolute margins. However, the defeat in the first ODI has not only hampered their claims for direct qualification in the premier event but also has benefited the Sri Lanka side.

After the defeat in the first ODI, West Indies stand with 78 points in the ICC ODI rankings. This, in essence, means that there is no way in which they can escalate above the Sri Lankan team in the rankings now. Sri Lanka have 86 point to their name in the points table. Now, the West Indies team will be expected to play the ICC World Cup Qualifier next year.

The Qualifier event will feature 10 teams. They will be joined by the top associate nations like Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, and Ireland. Also, the top four nations from the Cricket League Championship and the two teams from the Cricket League Division 2 will make it to the Qualifier tournament. Team Sri Lanka became the eighth and the final team to qualify for the tournament.

The other teams who have already qualified for the ICC World Cup 2019 are – Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa. The ICC confirmed the news in an Instagram post.

Sri Lanka have offically booked their spot at the 2019 Cricket World Cup following West Indies’ defeat to England. #cricket #srilanka #worldcup #lovecricket #cwc19

A post shared by ICC (@icc) on Sep 19, 2017 at 12:43pm PDT

Relieved Sri Lankan camp

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan ODI skipper mentioned that it is big relief for the Sri Lankan team after having qualified for the tournament. He believes the ICC event will bring charm to the struggling team.

“It’s no secret that we (Sri Lanka) have been going through a tough time, but I want to say a big, big thank you to our fans who’ve kept faith with us when things looked bleak. ICC events have always brought out the magic in Sri Lanka cricket, and I look forward to proving that once again,” quoted Upul Tharanga as per the quotes in the Indian Express.

Latest ICC ODI Team Rankings