Afghanistan, Ireland will join 10 full members in rank-based qualification for 2019 WC

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board on Wednesday approved that Afghanistan and Ireland would join the 10 Full Members in the rankings-based qualification system for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.

The top eight-ranked sides on the Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings as at 30 September 2017 would qualify automatically to the 2019 event, while the bottom four would play in the 10-team ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 that would determine the final two teams in the line-up.

As a result, Afghanistan and Ireland would no longer play in the ICC World Cricket League Championship, the ICC's one-day competition for the leading Associate and Affiliate sides.

The final two positions in the ICC World Cricket League Championship would now be filled by Kenya and Nepal, who finished third and fourth, respectively, in the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 2 in Namibia last week. They would join Hong Kong, Namibia, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Scotland and the United Arab Emirates in the two-year competition, which is scheduled to start in mid-2015.

The new structure also includes a promotion and relegation system for Associate and Affiliate Members, with a challenge series to take place between the lowest-ranked Associate Member on the Rankings table and the winner of the ICC World Cricket League Championship.

The winner of the play-off would be included on the Rankings table for the next cycle, and the loser would compete in the ICC World Cricket League Championship.

Ireland and Afghanistan would continue to play in the four-day, first-class ICC Intercontinental Cup 2015-17, along with Hong Kong, Namibia, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Scotland and the United Arab Emirates.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said that both Afghanistan and Ireland have excelled on and off the field in recent years, and this decision is a critical step forward to the ICC's aim of having more competitive teams in international cricket.

Richardson said that the decision also provides even greater context to ODI cricket, and provides a fully meritocratic pathway into ICC's Cricket World Cup and Champions Trophy events. He added that it also compliments the recent decision by the ICC Board to introduce opportunities for Associate and Affiliate Members to play Test cricket through the ICC Intercontinental Cup and ICC Test Challenge.

Richardson further said that with a system of promotion and relegation in place, he looks forward to seeing the leading Associate and Affiliate teams become even more competitive as they battle for the opportunity to compete at the very highest level of one-day cricket.

Cricket Ireland CEO Warren Deutrom said that they are absolutely delighted with the opportunity to qualify directly to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, adding that Ireland has worked very hard over recent years to prove itself as the leading Associate side and has beaten a number of Full Members over the years.

Deutrom added that they are confident that they can now accelerate their progress as part of this qualification structure with the Full Members, while this is also an excellent boost as they put their finishing touches on their preparations for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.