By Staff reporter
WINDHOEK, April 3 — USA and UAE made important strides towards qualification for the ICC Men’s World Cup with victories over Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Namibia, respectively, in the ICC World Cup Qualifier Play-off matches on Sunday.
USA took the top spot in the Qualifier Play-off standings with six points from four games after securing a convincing 117-run victory over PNG. Steven Taylor’s steady 81 runs at the top of the order helped the USA post a competitive total of 235/7 before they bowled out PNG for a paltry 118. The victory puts the US side in a solid position to secure a place in the Qualifier tournament in Zimbabwe in June and July with a victory over Jersey on Tuesday.
On the other hand, the loss for PNG effectively ended their hopes of keeping their World Cup dream alive, as they are now winless in their four appearances in Namibia.
Meanwhile, UAE joined the USA at the top of the standings with a narrow 28-run triumph over Namibia at the United Cricket Club Ground. Asif Khan’s knock of 96 runs from 86 deliveries and Vriitya Aravind’s unbeaten 93 helped UAE post a challenging total of 267/5. Namibia fought hard in their chase but ultimately fell short, getting all out in the penultimate over. The loss has severely dented the hosts’ chances of moving to the next Qualifier tournament.
Namibia will take on Canada in their final tournament match on Tuesday and need a comprehensive victory in that clash, along with other results going their way, just to have a chance of finishing in the top two in the standings. UAE are in a similar position to the USA, with a game against Jersey on Wednesday to determine whether they will progress to the Qualifier in Zimbabwe.
The ICC World Cup Qualifier Play-off matches have been fiercely contested, with each team vying for the opportunity to secure a place in the Qualifier tournament for the 2023 ICC Men’s World Cup. With just a few games left, the stakes are high, and teams must bring their best to secure a place in the tournament. – Namibia Daily News
