The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed the details of a key qualifier for the 2027 Men's Cricket World Cup.
Nepal will host it.
The Qualifier Playoff runs from 4 to 21 December. Eight teams are fighting for the last four places in the World Cup.
The tournament opens with hosts Nepal playing Italy at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground on 4 December.
Namibia and Uganda play on the same day at a second ground in Nepal.
Key points
- Nepal hosts the Qualifier Playoff from 4 to 21 December.
- Eight teams are competing for the last four World Cup spots.
- The winner of the Global Qualifier gets direct entry to the Group Stage.
- The 2027 World Cup will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
So what is this qualifier, and why does it matter?
The Qualifier Playoff is a round-robin tournament. Every team plays the others in its group of matches.
Gaurav Saxena, ICC General Manager for Events and Operations, called it a crucial stage.
He said he expects all eight teams to be eager to seize the chance.
Saxena also said associate cricket is vital to the growth of the sport.
Tournaments like this give smaller teams a chance to show their talent and gain experience.
Which teams are already through, and who is still in the race?
Six teams have already qualified for the Global Qualifier.
They are West Indies, Ireland, USA, Scotland, the Netherlands and Oman.
West Indies and Ireland qualified as the two highest-ranked sides outside the automatic qualifiers.
The USA, Scotland, the Netherlands and Oman came through the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2.
Canada, Kuwait, Jersey and the United Arab Emirates are the other teams in the 10-team Global Qualifier.
Together with Nepal, Italy, Namibia and Uganda, they make up the eight teams in the Playoff.
The ICC's two releases do not match on one detail.
One calls the second ground Upper Mulpani Cricket Ground, while the other calls it Mulpani Cricket Ground.
What happens next for the winners?
A win at the Global Qualifier gives one team direct entry to the Group Stage of the 2027 World Cup.
The teams finishing second, third and fourth will enter the newly formed Super Series.
The World Cup will be staged in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, from 2 October to 21 November.
It will feature 14 teams and 57 matches across 12 venues.
Graphic: News Anek, from the facts in this report
The ICC has also opened registration for the World Cup ticket ballot. Fans can sign up through the official ticket site.
