Let’s take a look at Cricket World Cup 2023: South Africa makes a strong case to secure an automatic berth.
By dominating the Netherland’s 146 runs in Johannesburg on Sunday, South Africa has increased their chances of advantage straight to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup this year.
South Africa posted an impressive total of 370/8 thanks to star batsman Aiden Markram’s brilliant 175 from just 126 deliveries. The Netherlands never looked likely to reply as pacer Sisanada Magala (5/43) collected career-best figures to ensure the visitors were all out for just 224 in the 40th over.
The proteas passed the West Indies and into the eighth and final slot on the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League Standings thanks to the victorBy dominating the Netherland’s 146 runs in Johannesburg on Sunday, which also meant South Africa won the three-match series 2-0.
There were worries that South Africa might fall short of a top eight position and be forced into the qualification event in Zimbabwe in June and July since the top eight teams in the Super League automatically qualify for the 50 over World Cup, which is slated to be staged later this year.
With Ireland, which is now ranked 11th, the only team that can pass them and forces the proteas to earn their World Cup spot the hard way, South Africa is now in a strong position to avoid that trip to the qualification.
In the Super League cycle that will take place in England next month, Ireland still has three matches left against Bangladesh, and a series sweep by the European team in those matches may still send South Africa to the qualifier.
While South Africa (-0.077) presently outperforms Ireland (-0.382) in terms of net run rate, that may easily change if Andrew Balbirnie’s team sweeps the series.
