|
Italy are here, Nepal and Uganda are arriving for the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League (WCL) Division 3, the latest step on the road to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in Australia and New Zealand.
They are three of six teams that will come together this weekend (28 April) to compete for the chance to lift the WCL Division 3 trophy and get closer to ICC’s flagship global event, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.
The top two sides of the WCL Division 3 will progress to the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which will be held in New Zealand in 2014 and feature 10 of the leading Associate and Affiliate teams. The top two sides from the New Zealand event will then advance to the 14-team ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, where they will join the 10 Full Members.
Italy captain Alessandro Bonora says his team is prepared for a tough week of cricket. “As a player you know you are going to come up against tough and consistent opposition and it will no doubt be a rarified and exciting week of cricket, I hope I can step up and hit form early in tournament. I hope we all can. It will be a tremendous honor for all of us to represent Italy and I will be incredibly proud if we can take it a step further to the 2014 ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier,” he said.
The 34-year-old top-order batsman is confident that his squad has the experience as a team unit to perform well in Bermuda. “Most of the squad had come to the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier and to Hong Kong before that in the last 50-over WCL event.
Nepal captain Paras Khadka, who has represented Nepal in three ICC U19 World Cups - 2004, 2006 and 2008 – says his team dreams of qualification to the ICC Cricket World Cup.
“We know that opponents will challenge us in every department of the game as all the teams in Bermuda will be competitive. Knowing the fact that it could take us to the pathway to glory, we are taking this very seriously and will give all we have to qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
Uganda captain Davis Arinaitwe says his side is motivated by the chance to gain promotion to the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier and play against the top Associate and Affiliate sides.
“Qualifying for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier brings our dream of playing in a World Cup closer, but also allows us a good opportunity to tussle it out with the top Associates and Affiliates who are more experienced. That allows us play freely with the underdog tag,” he said.
The 26-year-old off-spinner says his side also wants to gain immediate promotion from WCL Division 3, having moved between WCL Divisions 2 and 3 over the past few years: “It’s a massive tournament for us not just as players but as a cricketing nation and we will look to take one game at a time and exploit our massive experience in WCL Division 3.
|
