Dates | 13 January – 1 February 2014 |
---|---|
Administrator(s) | International Cricket Council |
Cricket format |
One Day International List A cricket |
Tournament format(s) | Round-robin and Knockout |
Host(s) | New Zealand |
Champions | Scotland (2nd Title) |
Participants | 10 |
Matches played | 34 |
Most runs | Khurram Khan (581) |
Most wickets | Haseeb Amjad (20) |
Official website | www.icc-cricket.com |
The 2014 ICC World Cup Qualifier was a cricket tournament to decide the final qualification for the 2015 World Cup. The top two teams qualified for the World Cup joining Ireland and for the first time Afghanistan who have already qualified through the 2011–13 ICC World Cricket League Championship and maintained their ODI status. The World Cup Qualifier was the final event of the 2009–14 World Cricket League. It was staged in New Zealand, from 13 January to 1 February 2014 after Scotland relinquished the right to host it.
The tournament saw Scotland qualifying for their 3rd World Cup and retaining their ODI status and UAE qualifying for their second world cup and gaining ODI status. Despite not qualifying for the World Cup, Hong Kong and Papua New Guinea gained ODI status for the first time by finishing the tournament in 3rd and 4th places respectively.
The tournament also saw leading associate countries the Netherlands, Kenya and Canada fail to qualify for the World Cup and lose their ODI status till 2018, although the Netherlands did qualify for the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 instead of Scotland.
According to ICC "the 10 teams were to be equally divided into two groups with the top three sides from each group progressing to the Super Six stage. The top two sides from the Super Six stage would not only reach the final but would also qualify for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 to complete the 14-team tally. Top 4 team would get ODI status where as 5th, 6th, 7th & 8th placed teams would remain or be relegated to Division 2"
The tournament followed the conclusion of the 2011–13 ICC World Cricket League Championship. The top two teams from this tournament, Ireland and Afghanistan, qualified for the 2015 World Cup, with the remaining six teams entering the World Cup Qualifier. They were joined by the third and fourth-placed teams from 2011 ICC World Cricket League Division Two and the top two teams from 2013 ICC World Cricket League Division Three.