Sri Lanka Qualify for 2023 Cricket World Cup with Win over Zimbabwe

Sri Lanka booked their place in the 2023 Cricket World Cup with a comprehensive nine-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the Super Six stage of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier.

The hosts, who needed a win to guarantee their qualification, were in control from the outset. Maheesh Theekshana and Dilshan Madushanka took three wickets apiece as Zimbabwe were bowled out for just 165 in 32.2 overs.

Sri Lanka then cruised to victory in just 26.1 overs, with Pathum Nissanka scoring 65 not out and Charith Asalanka making 51.

The win means Sri Lanka will join hosts India, Australia, England, Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh, and New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup.

Zimbabwe, meanwhile, will have to wait until the final round of matches to see if they can secure a place in the tournament.

Key Takeaways 

• Sri Lanka’s bowlers were in excellent form, taking wickets at regular intervals to restrict Zimbabwe to a low total.
• Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka led the way with the bat for Sri Lanka, scoring half-centuries to help their team to a comfortable win.
• The win means Sri Lanka have qualified for the 2023 Cricket World Cup, while Zimbabwe will have to wait until the final round of matches to see if they can join them.

• Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka: “We are very happy to have qualified for the World Cup. It was a tough tournament, but we played some good cricket and we deserve to be there. We are looking forward to the World Cup and we will be doing our best to do well there.”
• Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine: “We are disappointed with the result, but we played some good cricket in patches. We just need to be more consistent with our performance. We still have a chance to qualify for the World Cup, so we will be looking to win our next two matches.”

Sri Lanka will next face West Indies in their final Super Six match on July 5. Zimbabwe will face Scotland on the same day.

The top two teams in the Super Six will qualify directly for the 2023 Cricket World Cup. The third-placed team will play the fourth-placed team in a playoff match to determine the final qualifier.