LONDON – West Indies’ chances of an earning automatic qualification for the 2019 World Cup took another damaging blow when they dropped two rating points in the latest ICC One-Day International rankings released on Tuesday.
The Caribbean side dropped from 79 points to 77 following their stunning 63-run defeat to minnows Afghanistan last Friday, in the opening ODI of the ongoing three-match series currently locked at 1-1.
Even if West Indies win Wednesday’s decider at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia, they will gain only one point, with ODI series remaining against powerhouses India later this month and England in September.
Hosts England, along with the next top seven-ranked sides in the world, will earn automatic qualification for the World Cup, with the remaining sides entering a qualifying tournament to determine the last two available berths.
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