RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from Sky Sports — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 1 sources
Panic over, England fans - your team will NOT have to qualify for the 2027 Cricket World Cup. <p>England's drop-off in 50-over cricket had seen them plummet down the rankings and leave them at risk of missing out on automatic entry into next autumn's event in Africa.</p><p>However, the rot was stopped with successive come-from-behind series wins - over Sri Lanka earlier this year and then at home to India in July - leaving Harry Brook's men inside the required top eight in the rankings ahead of the September 30 cut-off.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/13571677/cricket-world-cup-scotland-and-netherlands-criticise-format-changes-to-50-over-tournament-announced-by-icc"><strong>Scotland, Netherlands slam Cricket World Cup format changes</strong></a></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.nowtv.com/membership/watch-sky-sports?DCMP=ilc_skysports_nc_articlelink">Stream England cricket and more top sport without a contract</a></strong></li></ul><widget id="3"></widget> <widget id="4"></widget><p>With <strong>South Africa</strong>, who are certain of a place as co-hosts, sitting fourth in the standings, ninth-placed <strong>Bangladesh</strong> also secure direct passage to the tournament proper.</p><p><strong>Zimbabwe</strong> are in, too, as they are another of the competition's co-hosts.</p><p><strong>India, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka </strong>and<strong> Afghanistan </strong>- who secured their place with victory over Ireland - are the other guaranteed entrants.</p> <widget id="2"></widget><h3>West Indies headed for qualifying tournament once more</h3><p>That means two-time champions West Indies, ranked 10th, will have to take part in the qualifying event for the third successive 50-over World Cup.</p><p>West Indies - World Cup winners in 1975 and 1979 - successfully reached the 2019 edition in England but then lost in qualifying for the 2023 showpiece in India.</p><p>The Caribbean side still have two more ODIs, in India, before September 30 but even if they win those two matches, they cannot move into the top nine in the rankings.</p> <widget id="1"></widget><p>West Indies are now headed for the qualifier in February and March, alongside Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland, USA and five yet-to-be-determined teams.</p><p>Under a new format for 2027, the winner of the qualifier will advance directly to the second stage of the World Cup, while the teams placing second, third and fourth will feature in the first round known as the Super Series.</p><p><a href="https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/13571677/cricket-world-cup-scotland-and-netherlands-criticise-format-changes-to-50-over-tournament-announced-by-icc">That late switch was criticised in a joint statement from the Scottish and Dutch cricket boards</a>, who accused the ICC of "weakening the integrity and credibility of international cricket."</p><p><em>Sky Sports News</em> has contacted the ICC for comment.</p>
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.