3 best matches in the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers group stage

The schedule for the ICC Cricket World Cup has been announced and 10 teams are currently contesting in the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers to place themselves in the mega event in India this year.

It has been a rollercoaster ride of emotions for the fans, who got to watch quality cricket in the ongoing Qualifiers in Zimbabwe.

While Ireland's elimination from the Super Six round shocked everyone, the performances of the Netherlands and Oman came as a welcome surprise, with the former beating the West Indies in a thriller.

The tournament has seen numerous close matches so far, which exemplifies how teams have been neck and neck in terms of cricketing skills.

On that note, let's look at some of the games that took the excitement of fans to another level in the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers.

3 best matches in the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers group stage

#3 West Indies vs Zimbabwe, 13th match, Harare

On a placid batting surface in Harare, which was anyway going to get better in the second innings, a target of 269 runs for the experienced West Indian batting line-up proved to be too much.

Zimbabwe would have taken that total after getting reduced to 112/4 in the 25th over before Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl joined hands and resurrected the innings.

When it looked like they would get a score close to 300, Keemo Paul rattled the lower middle order to leave the hosts gasping at 243/9, but the stubborn last wicket pair added 25 valuable runs to propel the team's total to 268.

The West Indies followed the pattern, losing wickets at regular intervals before Nicholas Pooran and Roston Chase brought them back into the contest.

With less than 100 runs needed at a required run rate of under six and six wickets in hand, it was the West Indies' game to lose. And they did lose by throwing away their wickets with some irresponsible and needless shots, according to the game situation.

For Zimbabwe, Tendai Chatara and Richard Ngarava ensured that the West Indies fell short of the target by 35 runs in a thriller, where even the West Indies' last wicket had the ability to make them cross the line.

#2 Ireland vs Scotland, 7th match, Bulawayo

It was the kind of game in the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers that neither team deserved to lose. But in sports, you don't always get justice for your performance.

At 70/5, Ireland were down and out in the game, but Curtis Campher and George Dockrell decided to give a fight. They added 136 runs in 25 overs, which made sure that Ireland's bowlers would have something to bowl at.

Chasing a tricky total of 287 runs, Scotland batsmen seemed confused regarding their approach — whether they should go hard or keep wickets in hand for the backend of the innings.

They found themselves reeling at 122/6, which soon became 152/7.

But the match was far from over — not until Michael Leask and Mark Watt were at the crease.

They took calculated risks, targeted the smaller boundaries, and picked their bowlers smartly.

Ireland stormed back into the game, picking up Watt in the 45th over. But Leask ensured that their efforts didn't go in vain by scoring the winning runs on the last ball of the match, finishing with a 61-ball 91*.

#1 West Indies vs Netherlands, 18th match, Harare

Probably one of the best ODI matches in recent times where one got to witness David not only matching shoulders with Goliath but also beat it.

West Indies posted a daunting total of 374/6, thanks to a breathtaking century from Nicholas Pooran and cameos from Keemo Paul and Shai Hope.

When it seemed like WI would decimate the Dutch in what looked like a proper mismatch in the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers, the Netherlands came out all guns blazing, matching shots with the Caribbean batsmen. They kept the asking run rate in check, with Teja Nidamanuru scoring a memorable century.

But the real hero was Logan van Beek, who scored 28 runs in 14 balls to tie the match. And in the Super Over, he smoked 30 runs off Jason Holder, which proved too much for the West Indies batsmen.

The loss meant that in the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers league stage, the West Indies might not qualify for the mega tournament this year.