The West Indies will travel to Zimbabwe for next year’s 2018 World Cup qualifying tournament following an ICC announcement that the African nation has been selected to host the tournament.
In addition to Zimbabwe three other countries Ireland, the UAE and Scotland also put forward bids to have the matches played in their homelands. Zimbabwe was, however, given the rubber stamp after a visit from ICC chairperson Shashank Manohar in August.
The regional team will join a group of nine other countries taking part in the tournament a list which includes the bottom four sides from ICC ODI Team Rankings, the top four sides from the ICC World Cricket League Championship and the top two sides from ICC World Cricket League Division 2.
The top two teams will gain entry to the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in England. The West Indies were officially eliminated from automatic qualification after being defeated 4-0 by England in a five-match One Day International series last month. In order to progress in an unlikely scenario, the team would have needed a complete reversal of the result.
Bangladesh were initially scheduled to host the tournament but the Asian side have qualified directly to the tournament proper due to their world ranking. (SportsMax)
