In a historic turn of events, two-time ODI World Cup winners, West Indies, have failed to qualify for the prestigious tournament for the first time in its 48-year history.
After a surprising seven-wicket loss to Scotland in a Super Six match of the ODI World Cup qualifier. West Indies found themselves out of the top 10 teams in white-ball cricket.
Led by Clive Lloyd, West Indies had clinched the ODI World Cup titles in 1975 and 1979.
However, their recent poor performance in various aspects of the game led to their exclusion from the upcoming 2023 edition of the World Cup. It is scheduled to be held in India from October 5 onwards.
The upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup is scheduled to take place in India starting from October
What a shame. West Indies fail to qualify for the World cup. Just shows talent alone isn’t enough, need focus and good man management, free from politics. The only solace is there isn’t further low to sink from here. pic.twitter.com/dAcs3uufNM
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 1, 2023
The defeat against Scotland marked the first time the two teams met. It resulted in Scotland’s maiden victory over West Indies.
In the match, Scotland won the toss and elected to field first. West Indies struggled with the bat and were bowled out for 181 runs in 43.5 overs.
In response, Scotland comfortably chased down the target, scoring 185 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in 43.3 overs.
Matt Cross (74 not out off 107 balls) and Brendon McMullen (69 off 106 balls) played pivotal roles in Scotland’s victory, sharing a 125-run partnership for the second wicket.
West Indies’ chances of qualifying for the World Cup had always been slim. As their fate depended on the results of other matches.
They entered the Super Six round with zero points after losing to the Netherlands in a crucial Group A encounter, which was decided by a Super Over eliminator.
Prior to that, they suffered a loss against Zimbabwe. Both Zimbabwe and the Netherlands secured spots in the Super Six from Group A.
It is a significant setback for West Indies cricket, as they have been a prominent force in the ODI World Cup throughout its history.
However, their failure to qualify serves as a reminder of the competitive nature of the sport and the need for consistent performance to secure a place among the top teams.
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