New Delhi: Finishing inside top seven on the ongoing World Cup table will have an added incentive to the teams as they will receive qualification for the eight-team ICC Champions Trophy 2025 alongside designated hosts Pakistan.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) had revived the Champions Trophy in 2021 for the international calendar of 2024-2031 and the two editions of the tournament will be staged in 2025 and 2029. The Champions Trophy is also set to follow the traditional format four teams divided into two groups with top two sides from each group entering the semifinals which is followed by the final.
But this qualification system, which was approved in 2021 during an ICC board meeting, might hamper the prospects of teams like England and Bangladesh in getting a Champions Trophy slot. Looking at the scenario, England are currently placed 10th on the World Cup chart with just two points, and Bangladesh are on ninth with two points. Both the teams have three more matches left in the tournament and need some massive turnaround to lift themselves among the top seven.
Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan had asserted the importance of finishing inside the top seven in the World Cup. "I mean, not the semifinal hope. It is not a semifinal possibility. At least, we need to do a little better. Suppose, you have to be in the (top) ranking 8 if you want to play in the Champions Trophy (2025).
"So, there are still three matches left considering that in mind," Shakib said on Saturday after Bangladesh's defeat against the Netherlands. The Netherlands and Afghanistan are currently eighth and seventh respectively in the table and can realistically dream of getting a berth in the Champions Trophy. Another drawback of this system is that teams like West Indies, Ireland and Zimbabwe stand no chance to qualify for the Champions Trophy because they are not playing in this World Cup. (With PTI inputs)
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