With the qualification process just finished for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, six teams will next month begin the long journey towards qualification for the 2015 event at the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 7 (WCL Div. 7).
The event, the first step on the road to Australia and New Zealand, will see Bahrain, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Japan, Nigeria and Suriname battle it out in the first tournament of a new Pepsi ICC World Cricket League structure that will reach its climax at the next ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier which is scheduled for 2013.
Following on from Afghanistan's successful campaign at the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which saw it obtain ODI status following a remarkable qualifying story where it won the WCL Div. 5, 4 and 3 titles, before finishing fifth in the final qualification event, teams will be looking to follow in its footsteps and progress through the competition structure.
The top two sides at this event, which will be played from 17 to 24 May in Guernsey, will win promotion to the WCL Div. 6 to be played in Singapore at the end of August.
Last weekend, Canada, Ireland, Kenya and Netherlands secured their places at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 when they finished in the top four of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in South Africa.
The full schedule for the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 7 is as follows:
- 15 May: Opening ceremony
- 17 May: Bahrain v Gibraltar (KGV), Suriname v Nigeria (Port Soif), Guernsey v Japan (College Field)
- 18 May: Japan v Nigeria (KGV), Gibraltar v Guernsey (Port Soif), Bahrain v Suriname (College Field)
- 20 May: Guernsey v Bahrain (KGV), Suriname v Japan (Port Soif), Nigeria v Gibraltar (College Field)
- 21 May: Gibraltar v Suriname (KGV), Japan v Bahrain (Port Soif), Nigeria v Guernsey (College Field)
- 23 May: Suriname v Guernsey (KGV), Bahrain v Nigeria (Port Soif), Gibraltar v Japan (College Field)
- 24 May: Final, third/fourth-place play-off, fifth/sixth-place play-off