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Follow UsThe cricket frenzy fans across the globe are eagerly waiting for the riveting Ashes series, but little do the people know that there will be 10 teams battling for for a place in the World Cup, scheduled to be played in India later this year.
The tournament is slated to kickstart on June 18, and the summit clash will be played on July 9 in Zimbabwe, with the two finalists securing their place in the ODI World Cup.
The 10 teams have been divided into groups of five each, with West Indies and Sri Lanka touted to be firm favourites to progress to the main event.
The two sides have a wealth of experience at the international level and a plethora of stars to guide the team over the line in crunch situations. However, there are some teams plying their trade in the Qualifiers who have been making the noises for all the right reasons in the last couple of years at international cricket.
We take a look at four teams who could potentially be the dark horses in the upcoming tournament and help the team secure the elusive World Cup spot.
Oman
In the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2019-2023, Oman finished second in the points table, winning 21 out of their 36 league matches. They were second in the ladder by six points behind Scotland and will be keen to showcase their skills in the African nation.
While Oman have never featured in a 50-over ODI World Cup, they will be keen to break stereotypes and put their nation on the cricketing map.
The team will rely heavily on Jatinder Singh, the leading run-scorer for them in the World Cup League, with 1098 runs in 35 innings at an average of 32.29 and a strike rate of 77.9.
Read - Jatinder Singh: Oman need to change training pattern to taste further success
On the bowling front, a lot would rely on veteran pacer Bilal Khan who was the leading wicket-taker in League 2. The left-arm pacer has scalped 76 wickets in 35 innings at a strike rate of 23.6 and an economy rate of 4.8.
With the team boasting some incredible individual performers in prime form in the lead-up to the event, Oman will be the team to watch out for.
Nepal
Ever since Monty Desai took charge of Nepal cricket, the nation have witnessed solid progress at the international level. After being on the verge of losing their ODI status, Nepal have bounced back in a commanding fashion and are now within touching distance of securing their place on a flight to India for the coveted trophy.
Read - Monty Desai: The architect behind Nepal’s resurrection
They needed to win 11 out of their last 12 matches in CWC League 2 to make it to the Qualifiers, and they managed to achieve the impossible with some tremendous support from the crowd.
Sandeep Lamichhane shouldered the bulk of the responsibility of the side and scalped 72 wickets in 30 innings at a strike rate of 23.5 and an economy rate of four in League 2 as Nepal finished third in the competition to secure a place in the Qualifiers.
The 22-year-old will be well-supported by Aasif Sheikh, who is Nepal's top run-scorer in the competition. The right-handed batter has amassed 934 runs in 30 innings at an average of 33.36 and a strike rate of 80.6.
The duo will hold the key for Nepal in their bid to go a step further and ensure their maiden appearance in the ODI World Cup.
United States of America
Cricket in the United States of America (USA) has improved by leaps and bounds in the past couple of years, and the team is one of the underdogs in the upcoming Qualifiers.
Along with United Arab Emirates, USA secured their place in the 10-team tournament by winning four out of their five league matches in playoffs held in Namibia earlier this year.
"It's a great feeling to be able to progress to the Qualifiers in Zimbabwe. Even though we see this as a big accomplishment for USA Cricket, the players also know that it will require lots of improvements for us to compete with the bigger teams," USA captain Monank Patel was quoted as saying by the ICC.
There isn’t any doubt that USA as a team are still a work in progress, but they have been powered by some individual flashes of brilliance by Ali Khan, who scalped a seven-wicket haul against Jersey and Saurabh Netravalkar, who is the leading wicket-taker for them in the league.
The duo along with their skipper will be the players to watch out for in the competition. The right-handed batter has a wealth of experience and will enter the tournament as the leading run-scorer for the side, with 1219 runs in 35 innings at an average of 36.94 and a strike rate of 80.3.
On their given day, USA does possess the firepower to upset any opposition, and the opposition teams would be wary of them.
United Arab Emirates
Over the years, United Arab (UAE) Emirates have consistently showcased their skills in world events by qualifying for the T20 World Cups in the last two editions.
While they have endured a bumpy ride in the shortest format, the team was one of the most consistent outfits in the playoffs held earlier this year and qualified along with USA for this tournament.
All eyes will be on Asif Khan, who slammed the fourth-fastest hundred in ODI history off 41 deliveries to do the bulk of the damage for the team in the batting unit.
While he is expected to headline UAE's story with the bat, Karthik Meiyappan will be keen to bamboozle the opposition with his mystery spin.
Also Read - No better time than now for UAE cricketers: Karthik Meiyappan on country’s rapid rise
The 22-year-old weaved his magic and picked up a hat-trick in the league match against Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup Down Under and will be one of the players the team management would bank on in sluggish conditions.
