Ireland, Afghanistan in mix for 2019 World Cup

Ireland and Afghanistan have the opportunity to gain direct qualification to the 2019 World Cup if they are among the top-eight ranked ODI sides as of September 30, 2017.

The bottom four sides in the rankings-based qualification system for the World Cup - which includes the ten Full Members, Ireland and Afghanistan - will play in the 10-team World Cup Qualifier in 2018 that will determine the final two teams in the line-up.

"As a result, Afghanistan and Ireland will no longer play in the ICC World Cricket League Championship, the ICC's one-day competition for the leading Associate and Affiliate sides," the ICC said after the first day of its board meeting in Dubai. "The final two positions in the ICC World Cricket League Championship will 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 will 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 will be included on the Rankings table for the next cycle, and the loser will compete in the ICC World Cricket League Championship."