ICC launches Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2

The ICC’s League 2 is proposed to provide more competitive cricket for the seven teams  – Namibia, Nepal, Oman, PNG, Scotland, UAE and USA. Each team will play 36 ODIs against each other from August 2019 to January 2022. The inaugural series will be played between Scotland, PNG, and Oman, from August 14 in Scotland. Each team will play four ODIs in the series, with two points awarded for each win.

ICC’s Head of Events Chris Tetley said that it will be an exciting four years of cricket in the lead up to the 2023 World Cup.

"Men's CWC League 2 gives the seven competing teams, 36 One Day Internationals across two and a half years and providing a real cricket calendar for Associate Members. The Challenge Leagues A and B will provide the opportunity for Associate teams ranked 21-36 to continue to play competitive cricket and give teams the opportunity to climb the ladder. It will be an exciting four years of cricket in the lead up to the next ICC Men's Cricket World Cup," Tetley told ANI, reported TOI.

At the end of all 21 tri-series, the top three teams will confirm their place in the 2022 World Cup Qualifier. Meanwhile, the bottom four teams will drop into the World Cup Qualifier play-off 2022, which is another shot at qualifying for the Qualifier. They will be joined by the winners of Challenge League A and B. The teams which manage to finish on the top two positions will enter the Qualifier event.

Tetley noted that the new structure will add to the level of competitiveness at the quadrennial event, the next edition of which is to be held in India in 2023.

"The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup provided us with great entertainment and competitive cricket. I am delighted to see the start of the qualification process to India 2023. The new structure has given meaningful context to bilateral cricket for the Men's Cricket World Super League, but also more competitive opportunities to Associate Members," Tetley added.

The Challenge League A will comprise Canada, Denmark, Malaysia, Qatar, Singapore, and Vanuatu while in the Challenge League B, the teams are Bermuda, Hong Kong, Italy, Jersey, Kenya, and Uganda. Each team gets to play five matches per year in their six-team tournament. The first Challenge League A event will be played out in September this year.