Introduction to the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup
The 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup was held from May 30 to July 14, 2019, in England and Wales. This prestigious tournament brought together the best cricket teams from around the globe to compete for the ultimate prize in one-day international (ODI) cricket. The competition saw ten teams compete, and qualifying for this elite event was no small feat. This article will explore the teams that secured their spots and how they made it to one of cricket’s biggest stages.
Automatic Qualifiers
To ensure a high level of competition, the International Cricket Council (ICC) selected teams based on their ODI rankings. The top eight teams in the ICC ODI rankings as of September 30, 2017, automatically qualified for the World Cup 2019. These teams included:
1. **England**: As the host nation and one of the strongest teams in ODI cricket, England automatically secured their place in the World Cup. England’s team, under the leadership of Eoin Morgan, had shown exceptional performance in the lead-up to the tournament.
2. **India**: Ranked highly in the ICC ODI rankings, Team