Cricket World Cup Qualifier: Teams and UAE's fixtures

The Cricket World Cup Qualifier begins in Zimbabwe on Sunday. The 10-team competition carries with it the final two places for the main event in India, which is set to take place in October and November. There are two pools of five teams. Each side plays each other once, and the top three teams in the group advance to the Super Six. That is a six-team group in which teams play a match each against the sides who have advanced from the other first-round pool to theirs. They carry forward the points from the first round from the matches against the other teams that went through with them. The sides who fail to qualify for the second round will stay on to play play-offs for consolation places. The UAE are the lowest seeded side in the event as they were last to seal their place, as runners up in the Qualifier Play-off in Namibia. Their form at that event was a vast improvement on what had gone before, after a miserable run during the final days of Robin Singh’s spell as coach. They had a chastening preparatory series ahead of flying to Zimbabwe, as they were swept 3-0 in Sharjah by West Indies . They won their first official warm-up match in Harare, against Nepal, but were then trounced again by West Indies in the second. Monday, June 19, v Sri Lanka at Queen’s Sports Club. Wednesday, June 21, v Oman at Bulawayo Athletic Club. Friday, June 23, v Scotland at Bulawayo Athletic Club. Tuesday, June 27, v Ireland at Bulawayo Athletic Club. Muhammad Waseem (captain), Ethan D'Souza, Ali Naseer, Vriitya Aravind, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Jawadullah, Asif Khan, Rohan Mustafa, Aayan Khan, Junaid Siddique, Zahoor Khan, Sanchit Sharma, Aryansh Sharma, Karthik Meiyappan, Basil Hameed GROUP A 1 WEST INDIES How they qualified: Ninth in the ODI Super League Captain: Shai Hope One to watch: Rovman Powell Smashed a window during a six blitz the last time this competition was played, four years ago in Harare. He returns as the Windies vice-captain. 2 ZIMBABWE How they qualified: 12th in the ODI Super League Captain: Craig Ervine One to watch: Sikandar Raza One of three nominees for the ICC’s Garry Sobers award for leading international cricketer last year, and his form has scarcely dropped off since. 3 NETHERLANDS How they qualified: Last in the ODI Super League Captain: Scott Edwards One to watch: Bas de Leede Not all the Netherlands’ leading lights are available for this tournament, but their standout all-rounder has got time off from UK county cricket to play. 4 NEPAL How they qualified: Third in CWC League 2 Captain: Rohit Paudel One to watch: Kushal Malla The left-handed all-rounder has been revived in a side that has sparkled under the coaching of Monty Desai this year. 5 UNITED STATES How they qualified: Qualifier Play-off winners Captain: Monank Patel One to watch: Ali Khan The fast bowler is suspended for the first two matches due to disciplinary offences, but one of the most eye-catching players in the tournament. GROUP B 1 SRI LANKA How they qualified: 10th in the ODI Super League Captain: Dasun Shanaka One to watch: Matheesha Pathirana The 20-year-old quick has played just a lone ODI so far but has already earned himself the nickname “Baby Malinga” based on the resemblance of his style to the great Lasith. 2 IRELAND How they qualified: 11th in the ODI Super League Captain: Andrew Balbirnie One to watch: Harry Tector The ICC’s player of the month for May, having beaten Pakistan’s Babar Azam and Bangladesh’s Najmal Hossain Shanto to the award. 3 SCOTLAND How they qualified: CWC League 2 winners Captain: Richie Berrington One to watch: Chris Sole The fast bowler took 4-50 against West Indies in the first warm-up match, including the powerful top three of Johnson Charles, Kyle Mayers and Shamarh Brooks. 4 OMAN How they qualified: Second in CWC League 2 Captain: Zeeshan Maqsood One to watch: Aqib Ilyas A top order batter who also bowls off- or leg-spin depending on what suits the situation. Has had a wretched run with injuries but made a century in the warm-up game against Zimbabwe. 5 UAE How they qualified: Qualifier Play-off runner up Captain: Muhammad Waseem One to watch: Ali Naseer Shone with back-to-back half-centuries against West Indies in his debut series for the senior team. The 19-year-old student punched his ticket to the Qualifier in the process.

Cricket World Cup Qualifier: Teams and UAE's fixtures

Competition sees 10-teams competing for two places at the main event in October and November