The Proteas have put their hopes of direct qualification into the 2023 ODI World Cup in jeopardy, having withdrawn from the ODI series against Australia. Cricket South Africa had requested their Australian counterparts to reschedule the three matches originally planned for January 12-17 due to a direct clash with their new franchise T20 league.
On July 13, CA announced that they were unable to find alternative dates. The series was part of the CWC Super League, where the top eight teams will directly qualify for next year’s World Cup while the remaining five teams compete in a qualifying tournament with five associate members for the final two spots.
CSA have effectively forfeited the 30 points on offer as the series won’t be played before the cut-off date for the qualification. South Africa currently sit 11th with 49 points from 13 games and have two assignments left in the competition, against England and India. The Proteas are likely to be in a position where they need to win all the remaining games to qualify.
“Given these games will not be played before the qualification cut-off date in May, CSA has agreed that Australia will be awarded the competition points pending ICC approval,”
a CA statement said.
With the ODI series being scrapped, Australia’s top stars will now be available to play in the Big Bash League. Australia’s Test players will be unavailable for the early part of the tournament, but those who would play ODIs can now feature in the BBL. The other white-ball players such as Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa and Marcus Stoinis will not be pulled out of the league for a 10-day period.
CA have also adjusted the venues of other international matches to compensate Hobart and Perth, who were supposed to host South Africa. The second men’s T20I against West Indies on October 7 has been moved from the Metricon Stadium to Gabba, while the first T20I against England on October 9 is shifted to Perth from Brisbane. Hobart will host the second women’s T20I against Pakistan on January 26.
