UAE’s 2023 World Cup qualification campaign to restart in August

Tri-series against United States and Scotland in America starting point of revised schedule

UAE will play a tri-series in US in August following a change in schedule of Cricket World Cup League Two. Pawan Singh / The National

The UAE’s 50-over World Cup qualification campaign will remain stalled until August due to Covid-19.

The national team are in fifth place in the Cricket World Cup League Two, which forms part of the qualifying process for the 2023 World Cup.

The top three sides in the seven-team tournament will advance directly to the global qualifier, to be played in the summer of 2023 in Zimbabwe.

The two finalists in that competition will take the final two qualifying places for the 10-team World Cup in India, in October of that year.

The UAE's campaign had been a turbulent one even before the pandemic struck, as they had seen matches lost to rain in Sharjah, and then the death of Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said in January.

The pandemic then accounted for four series, including the tour to Nepal which had been scheduled for February 2021.

The ICC have announced a revised schedule for the competition, which sees the national team returning to the field with a tri-series against United States and Scotland in America in August.

“When we rescheduled the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 to October and November 2023 it enabled us to extend the window for qualification events to take place and ensure we maximise the opportunity for qualification to be decided on the field of play,” Chris Tetley, the ICC’s head of events, said.

The UAE are at least due to return to competitive action with a one-day international series against Ireland in Abu Dhabi in January.