Kenya loses ODI status following defeat by Scotland in World Cup qualifier

The national cricket team of Kenya has lost their one-day international (ODI) status following their three-wicket defeat by Scotland in their World Cup qualifier in New Zealand on Thursday.

Once regarded as one of the strongest associate members of the ICC, Kenya needed to win the final Super Six game to avoid losing its ODI status after failing to secure a place in the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

According to Sport24, a top Cricket Kenya official said that although it is sad for Kenya cricket, there is however, nothing that they can do about the situation, adding that they have to wait for the team to come back home before deciding the way forward.

The report mentioned that Kenya was awarded the one-day ranking in 1997 following their impressive World Cup debut the previous year, although a series of administrative malpractices, coupled with internal strife among the national team players have led to a sharp decline over the last decade.

Kenya is also set to lose out being part of the ICC High Performance Programme, launched in 2001 to assist in the funding of the development programmes within the leading ICC Associate member countries, the report added.