Two-Time Champions Fail to Qualify For ICC World Cup 2023

The 13th edition of the tournament will be the first without the two-time champions

NEW DELHI: Two-time champions West Indies failed to qualify for 2023 ODI World Cup in India after suffering a shock seven-wicket defeat against Scotland in a Super Six match of the qualifier in Harare on Saturday. West Indies needed a win against the Scots to keep their slim qualification hopes alive but were bowled out for 181. Riding on Matthew Cross and Brandon McMullen knocks, Scotland chased down the target with 6.3 overs to spare.

The champions of 1975 and 1979 editions, this is the first time in the 48 years of tournament history that West Indies won't feature among the top 10 teams in limited overs cricket. It was also Scotland's first-ever win over the Caribbean side in the ODIs.

On Saturday, the West Indies once again produced a dismal show with the bat — 181 all-out in 43.5 overs — and Scotland showed no qualms in knocking off the target to win with seven wickets in hand and pile up further ignominy on the two-time world champions

Scotland with this win are on four points and would reckon that an upset can help them sneak into the tournament-proper. It appears to be the final nail in the coffin for a cricket team that has been on a terminal decline for the past two decades. While they won two T20 World Cup titles in 2012 and 2016, the performance in two traditional formats -- Tests and ODIs have spiralled southwards. Ironically, West Indies were forced to play the qualifier before the 2019 World Cup also but eventually managed to finish in top two along with Afghanistan to save themselves from embarrassment