Tri-series can take Tigers to sixth

The upcoming tri-series in Ireland beginning on Friday presents Bangladesh with an opportunity to strengthen their chances of direct qualification to the 2019 World Cup as a good performance will see them leapfrog Sri Lanka into sixth position in the International Cricket Council (ICC) ODI team rankings.

An ICC press release issued yesterday laid out the possibilities for Bangladesh in the double-round-robin triangular series, which will also involve hosts Ireland and New Zealand. 

“Bangladesh gets an opportunity to enhance its chances of direct qualification to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 in an upcoming tri-series to be held in Dublin from 12 to 24 May,” the press release stated.

The tri-series will follow a league-based format with each team playing the other twice, and the one with the most points to be named winners. Bangladesh are currently in seventh spot on 91 points, two behind Sri Lanka and three ahead of Pakistan. 

According to the press release, if Bangladesh win all four matches, their tally will rise to 97 points, four clear of Sri Lanka. If they beat New Zealand once and Ireland twice, they will still have one point more than Sri Lanka. However, if they beat Ireland twice and lose to New Zealand twice Bangladesh will lose a point, and they will slip below Pakistan if they just come away with the four matches with one win against Ireland. Four losses and Bangladesh will slide down to 83, four points clear of ninth-placed West Indies.

The top eight teams in the ICC ODI rankings as of September 30, 2017, will gain direct qualification into the showpiece event in England in 2019. The Tigers will want to get as many points as they can from this tournament as they are in the group of death in the Champions Trophy that will start on June 1, pitted against world champions Australia, England, South Africa and New Zealand.