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Pakistan and the West Indies are two of the favourites to claim the places still on offer at the Women’s Cricket World Cup.
The final three teams for next year’s Women’s Cricket World Cup will be found over the next two weeks.
Nine teams will do battle in Zimbabwe, looking to join hosts New Zealand, defending champions England, world No 1 Australia, India and South Africa in the eight-team tournament next March and April.
The West Indies and Pakistan, who met in a series ahead of the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, will be favourites to claim two of the three spots on offer.
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Sri Lanka have taken part in each World Cup since 1997 and will be a good chance to keep that run going as well.
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But they will have to hold off the hosts, Bangladesh – who are likely to be the strongest challenger – Ireland, the Netherlands, Thailand, and the United States.
Papua New Guinea were also set to take part, but had to withdraw after a series of positive tests for Covid-19 during their pre-departure quarantine period.
That left a group of five and a group four, where each team will play the other.
The top three teams from each group will then advance to the Super Six, where they will play the teams they haven’t yet faced.
Points will be carried forward from their group stage matches against Super Six teams and the top three at the end of the second phase will book their spots at the World Cup.
The top five teams will also join the five already qualified in the next edition of the Women’s Championship, where they will play bilateral series to determine the qualifiers for the 2025 World Cup.
Pakistan face Bangladesh in the first match of the tournament [first ball Sunday 8.30pm NZ time]. The Super Six phase will start on December 1 and conclude on December 5.
The eight teams that will take part in the World Cup are set to arrive in New Zealand ahead of an official welcome in Christchurch on February 26.
A series of warm-up matches will follow in the region after that, ahead of the tournament opener between the White Ferns and the first qualifier at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on March 4.
The World Cup final will take place at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on April 3.
Women’s World Cup Qualifier
Group A: West Indies, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Netherlands
Group B: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Zimbabwe, United States
Top three teams advance to the Super Six and carry forward the points gained against the other advancing teams.
Top three teams in the Super Six qualify for the World Cup in New Zealand next March and April.
Top five teams qualify for the 2022-2024 Women’s Championship.