South Africa faces a difficult task qualifying for next year’s World Cup after withdrawing from key international matches to start a new Twenty20 tournament
- South Africa is struggling to qualify for next year’s Cricket World Cup
- The Proteas dropped key international games to start a new tournament
- It exits South Africa in 11th place, battling for automatic qualification
South AfricaEngland’s second opponents in a month of white ball matches are struggling to qualify for next year’s World Cup after scrapping key international matches to start a new Twenty20 tournament.
The Proteas Face If butler‘s team at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday, days after they lost a series in Australia in January to give their best players a chance to take part in a six-team competition funded by broadcasters SuperSport and only to be second only to the Indians First Leagueinstead of this.
Such prioritization has arguably provided a vision of the future global landscape, with Cricket South Africa and other boards around the world chasing huge financial rewards via bilateral country-v-country series.
South Africa is struggling to qualify for the World Cup after canceling international matches
The Royal London Series is not part of the Super League – the vehicle for automatic qualification for the event in India in 15 months, where England will look to defend their over-50 crown without retired duo Eoin Morgan and Ben Stokes.
But by giving up 30 points via a 3-0 through to Australia, South Africa remains in 11th place and are struggling to get the coveted top 8 positions that come with automatic qualification even if they get their two remaining three-game series against India (away) and England (home) 3-0 and twice defeated the Netherlands in two games postponed during the pandemic.
Losses leave Mark Boucher’s (above) side in 11th place outside of the automatic qualifying positions
Once a banker for the final stages of global tournaments, it means South Africa faces the ignominious prospect of being one of five Super League sides – likely joined by former champion nations Sri Lanka and the West Indies – to battle it out for the last in a qualifying tournament Zimbabwe will fight both places in early 2023.
The new world order is due in part to some serious slip-ups by the South Africans – they drew 1-1 in Ireland last year and lost at home to both Pakistan and Bangladesh – as well as the rise of Bangladeshis and Afghanistan (the next two challenger of the leaders). England in the standings).
Meanwhile, Quinton de Kock is expected to be fit for the opening game of the three games at Chester-le-Street tonight after serving out the warm-up with a bruised finger.
The Proteas take on Jos Buttlers (second left) England at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday
