ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2018 – Day 4, Round up

The West Indies match was the most interesting game of the day.

Published - 10 Mar 2018, 22:15 IST | Updated - 10 Mar 2018, 22:15 IST

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The second last day of the group stage encounters in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers witnessed two games each from Group A and B where teams worked regressively with the full fortitude to reach a higher stratum. However, three out of four games turned into a one-sided affair with sheer dominance shown by Zimbabwe and Afghanistan. The match between West Indies and Ireland involved too much firepower and managed to keep the viewers interested.

After three straight losses, the Afghanistan Team finally had something to cheer as they were able to register their first win in the tournament. Having asked to bowl first on a batting friendly wicket, Afghanistan bowlers were able to keep it tight as they managed to restrict the opposition for a below par score of 194 runs. The bowling all-rounder Mohammad Nabi was the pick of the bowlers, claiming four wickets for just 33 runs.

Chasing 194 was never going to be a tough task for Afghanistan batsmen unless Nepal bowlers produced a superlative performance. However, bowlers were not on song today as almost every other batsman got a start, which eventually helped them register a win.

Rovman Power

The next encounter and dramatically the most entertaining one took place between West Indies and Ireland and one will have to say, West Indies team had too much firepower and managed to upstage the opposition comprehensively. Batting first, Windies got off to a forgettable start as they lost five wickets for just 83 runs on the board. Fortunately for them, skipper Jason Holder and Rovman Powell played some scintillating shots which helped their side reach a respectable total of 257 runs.

Windies are known for their bowling and they did exactly that to send Irish skipper early in the innings. After losing a wicket or two early, Ireland batters tried to play riskfree shots and settle their nerves. The middle-order batsman Ed Joyce looked good for his 63 runs but was short of a reliable partner. Further, the wickets kept tumbling for the Men in Green as it handed them a 52 run defeat.

The Zimbabwe team continued their dazzling stint in the qualifiers as they managed to register their third straight win to become the table topper in Group B. Playing against Hong Kong, Zimbabwe posted a challenging total of 263 runs on the board. In reply, Hong Kong batters found it difficult to put the right foot forward as no one really got going.

The second Group A encounter between Papua New Guinea and the Netherlands ended in a one-way traffic as the Netherlands proved to be a far better side on the given day. The toss fell in favour of Assad Vala, Papua New Guinea who elected to bowl first. The Netherlands tinkered with their batting combination which proved to be the right one for them as Ben Cooper finally found some form at the top. With little cameos, the Netherlands managed to put up a fighting total of 217 runs on the board. In reply, Papua New Guinea fell well short which eventually led them to finish at the bottom in Group A.