ICC launch ODI Super League as road to 2023 World Cup in India

The road to the 2023 50-over World Cup will begin with the launch of the ODI Super League, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Monday (July 27). The 2023 edition of the World Cup will be held in India with hosts as well as the top seven teams in ICC ODI ranking automatically qualifying for the event.

England to kick off ICC ODI Super League against Ireland

The Super League will begin with an ODI series between defending world champions England and their neighbours Ireland, which kicks off in Southampton on July 30.

“The league will bring relevance and context to ODI cricket over the next three years, as qualification for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 is at stake,” ICC’s GM Operation Geoff Allardice said in a ICC media statement.

Featuring 13 teams, the 12 ICC Full Members and the Netherlands, who qualified by winning the World Cricket Super League 2015-17, the Super League will see each side play four home and four away three-match series.

The five sides which fail to qualify directly will play along with the five Associate sides in the Qualifier 2023, with two teams making it to the 10-team World Cup in India.

“The decision last week to move the World Cup back to late 2023 gives us more time to schedule any games lost due to COVID-19 and preserve the integrity of the qualification process, meaning it will be decided on the field of play, which is important,” Geoff Allardice added.

Each team will be awarded 10 points for a win, five for a tie/no result/abandonment and none for a loss. Teams will be ranked according to total points earned across the eight series. There are criteria in place to separate two or more teams on equal points.

A knock-out phase will not be needed as the league standings will determine the qualification for the World Cup. England captain Eoin Morgan believes the Super League fixture against Ireland marks the start of their journey for the 2023 edition.

“Given the situation, it will be quite different to the last time we played at home, when we lifted the World Cup at Lord’s, but it’s nice to be starting our journey for the next edition of the tournament,” Eoin Morgan said.

“I’m sure cricket fans all over the world will be excited to see white-ball cricket resume and we’re looking forward to the challenge. Ireland are a talented team who have shown over the years that they can beat the best on their day,” the England skipper added.

Ireland had famously upset England at the 2011 World Cup in Bengaluru with all-rounder Kevin O’Brien scoring a stunning century. Skipper Andrew Balbirnie, whose side became a Test playing nation last year, was hopeful that his side would give world champions a tough fight in the upcoming series.

“It is obviously going to be a huge challenge taking on the team that won the World Cup just a year ago but we have prepared well and have taken confidence from our form over the early months of 2020,” Andrew Balbirnie said.

The 2023 World Cup has already been postponed by a few months due to the change in schedule of ICC events, which have been caused due to the coronavirus pandemic.