Sri Lanka will meet UAE in their opening ICC World Cup qualifying game in Queens SC in Zimbabwe on June 19. Sri Lanka cricket team led by Dasun Shanaka has an uphil task when they play in Group B in the 50-overs World Cup Qualifiers taking place in Zimbabwe next month. The qualification tournament runs from June 18 to July 9, and the two remaining qualification slots will be determined.

The event will be hosted by Zimbabwe from 18 June – 9 July 2023.

The 10 teams taking part in the qualifier are split into two groups of five teams. Hosts Zimbabwe, the West Indies, the Netherlands, Nepal and the United States make up Group A, while Sri Lanka, Ireland, Scotland, Oman and the United Arab Emirates form Group B.

Each side will play the other teams in their group once with the top three from each group progressing to the Super Six stage. In the Super Six, they will play the sides they did not meet in the group stage.

All points won in the group stage will be carried over to the Super Six stage apart from those gained against the teams that fail to make it to the Super Six stage. The finalists will both progress to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

Queen’s Sports Club and Bulawayo Athletic Club in Bulawayo, Harare Sports Club and Takashinga Cricket Club in Harare will share 34 matches between them, with Harare Sports Club staging the final on 9 July. Old Hararians Cricket Club will also host warm-up fixtures.

Group B commences on 19 June in Bulawayo with 1996 World Cup champions Sri Lanka facing the UAE at Queen’s Sports Club, while in the other match at Bulawayo Athletic Club, Ireland will face off against Oman.

For the first time in this tournament, DRS will be used for all matches from the Super Six stage onwards.

Sri Lanka will meet two warm matches against Netherland and USA on June 13 and 15 before the world cup qualifying tournament.

ICC MEN’S CRICKET WORLD CUP QUALIFIER FIXTURES
(All matches start at 0900h local time)

Sunday, 18 June : Zimbabwe v Nepal, Harare Sports Club, West Indies v USA, Takashinga Cricket Club
Monday, 19 June : Sri Lanka v UAE, Queen’s Sports Club, Ireland v Oman, Bulawayo Athletic Club

Tuesday, 20 June : Zimbabwe v Netherlands, Harare Sports Club, Nepal v USA, Takashinga Cricket Club
Wednesday, 21 June : Ireland v Scotland, Queen’s Sports Club, Oman v UAE, Bulawayo Athletic Club

Thursday, 22 June : West Indies v Nepal, Harare Sports Club, Netherlands v USA, Takashinga Cricket Club
Friday, 23 June : Sri Lanka v Oman, Queen’s Sports Club, Scotland v UAE, Bulawayo Athletic Club

Saturday, 24 June : Zimbabwe v West Indies, Harare Sports Club, Netherlands v Nepal, Takashinga Cricket Club
Sunday, 25 June : Sri Lanka v Ireland, Queen’s Sports Club, Scotland v Oman, Bulawayo Athletic Club

Monday, 26 June : Zimbabwe v USA, Harare Sports Club, West Indies v Netherlands, Takashinga Cricket Club
Tuesday, 27 June : Sri Lanka v Scotland, Queen’s Sports Club, Ireland v UAE, Bulawayo Athletic Club

Thursday, 29 June : Super 6: A2 v B2, Queen’s Sports Club
Friday, 30 June : Super 6: A3 v B1, Queen’s Sports Club, Playoff: A5 v B4, Takashinga Cricket Club

Saturday, 1 July : Super 6: A1 v B3, Harare Sports Club
Sunday, 2 July : Super 6: A2 v B1, Queen’s Sports Club, Playoff: A4 v B5, Takashinga Cricket Club

Monday, 3 July : Super 6: A3 v B2, Harare Sports Club
Tuesday, 4 July : Super 6: A2 v B3, Queen’s Sports Club, Playoff: 7th v 8th Takashinga Cricket Club

Wednesday, 5 July : Super Six: A1 v B2, Harare Sports Club
Thursday, 6 July : Super Six: A3 v B3, Queen’s Sports Club, Playoff: 9th v 10th Takashinga Cricket Club

Friday, 07 July : Super Six: A1 v B1, Harare Sports Club
Sunday, 09 July : Final, Harare Sports Club