Hosts Zimbabwe will begin their 2018 World Cup Qualifier campaign on March 4, the opening day of the tournament where ten teams will contest for two spots in the 2019 World Cup, the International Cricket Council announced on Monday (January 15).

Windies, the two-time World Cup winners, along with fellow Test nations Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe, had missed out on automatic qualification for the 2019 event in England by finishing outside the top eight. These four sides will be joined by Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Scotland, the defending champions, and Papua New Guinea, who finished in the top four of the ICC World Cricket League Championship last year.

The remaining two sides for the qualifying event will be confirmed in Namibia next month when Canada, Kenya, Namibia, Nepal, Oman and the United Arab Emirates will battle it out in the ICC World Cricket League Division 2, the finalists advancing to the Zimbabwe tournament in March.

Queen’s Sports Club and Bulawayo Athletic Club in Bulawayo, Harare Sports Club and Old Hararians Sports Club in Harare and Kwekwe Sports Club, Kwekwe, will host the 34 matches between them from March 4 to 25, with Harare Sports Club staging the final.

Each side will play the other teams in their group once with the top three progressing to the Super Six stage. The teams each play three Super Six matches against the sides from the other group.

The finalists will both progress to the World Cup next year, while the Netherlands (ICC World Cricket League Championship winners) and the three highest finishing Associate Members will earn ODI status till 2022.

Groups:

Group A: West Indies (A1); Ireland (A2); Netherlands (A3); Papua New Guinea (A4); World Cricket League Division 2 winner) (A5)

Group B: Afghanistan (B1); Zimbabwe (B2); Scotland (B3); Hong Kong (B4); WCL Div 2 runner-up (B5)