Thailand have been heartbreakingly robbed of a maiden appearance at an ODI World Cup, and of future opportunities in the format, after the qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe was called off overnight due to the new COVID-19 variant.
Australia’s final three opponents in the marquee event to be held in New Zealand in March-April have been confirmed with Pakistan, West Indies and Bangladesh filling the final three spots at the eight-team event.
That’s despite Thailand’s stunning run through the group stage of the aborted qualifier in which they beat Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and the USA and sat atop of the standings of Group B.
The qualifying event was due to run for another week but ended abruptly after new travel restrictions were imposed on southern Africa following the emergence of the Omicron variant.
With the Super Sixes stage of the tournament unable to be played (or rescheduled), the three highest-ranked teams in the ICC’s ODI rankings at the cut-off date of September 30 progressed to the main event under the tournament’s playing conditions.
Thailand do not have ODI status and therefore do not have an ODI ranking.
The ICC announced in April the women’s teams of all Full Member nations would be awarded ODI (and Test) status, but for Thailand, whose progress in the women’s game has far outstripped that of its men’s side, the only route to ODI status would have been through qualification for the Championship.
The ICC in 2018 appeared to suggest all matches at…
