Canada’s Ascendancy in Cricket Continues: From Regaining ODI Status to Making ODI Rankings
Canada, having regained their ODI status last year, has officially re-entered the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings after nearly a decade’s absence.
Following the ICC Annual Men’s Team Rankings update on 1 May 2023, Canada was just outside the set-up, having played four qualifying matches and earning a rating of 20.
Earlier this month, they toured Nepal to play three ODIs (which they lost) and are currently participating in the latest ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 cycle.
Canada fulfilled the requirement of playing a minimum of eight games in the ongoing cycle to enter the Men’s ODI rankings on Wednesday, 28 February, with their first match in the new cycle against the United Arab Emirates.
Choosing to bowl first, Canada limited UAE to 194, thanks to an impressive spell of 4/42 by Kaleem Sana. Canada then chased down the total with the help of half-centuries from Srimantha Wijeyeratne and Nicholas Kirton, securing a three-wicket victory.
Canada entered the Men’s ODI Team Rankings at No.20, just below UAE.
BIG NEWS
We have now regained our ODI status after nearly a decade and are confirmed to play ODI matches for the next 4-year cycle!
Team Canada is disappointed that we cannot qualify for the next round of @icc CWC qualifiers in Zimbabwe.#cricketcanada #odi pic.twitter.com/XcKj87od1e
The Journey So Far
Canada’s cricketing journey has been a fascinating one. They became an Associate member of the ICC in 1968 and played their first Men’s ODI World Cup in 1979. However, it took almost 25 years for them to play another World Cup in 2003.
With both ODI and T20I statuses, Canada competed in the 2007 and 2011 ODI World Cups as well.
Canada’s progress was interrupted when the ICC introduced the new World Cricket League divisional structure. For Associate members, gaining ODI status requires finishing in the top six of the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 tournament.
Teams that finish in the top two positions of this tournament gain permanent ODI status until the next ICC review.
Canada was among the lower run of teams in the 2014 ODI World Cup Qualifier and the 2015 World Cricket League Division Two tournament. They were relegated even further to ICC World Cricket League Division Three in 2017.
Canada’s bid to regain the ODI status was thwarted when PNG outperformed them in the 2019 ICC World Cricket League Division Two tournament. Canada had the opportunity to leapfrog PNG into the top four, but needed to restrict USA to under 212 in their run-chase. However, in a dramatic finale, USA managed to reach 215/9 and knock their rivals out.
Canada had to wait for four more years to have another shot at the elusive ODI status. During the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-off last year, Canada finished above PNG, thrashing them by 90 runs in their final match and clinched the ODI status in style.
“Regaining the ODI status after nine long years is an outstanding achievement and a game-changing moment for Cricket Canada,” Rashpal Bajwa, Cricket Canada President since 2020, told Emerging Cricket after the win.
“Promotion to the Cricket World Cup League 2 system ensures that a significant and high-quality number of international cricket matches will be played in Canada for the next four years. It allows us to plan for the long-term sustainable growth of the sport,” he added.
What’s Next?
The top four teams at the end of League 2 will progress to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier, while the bottom four teams will have to compete in the Qualifier Play-offs for a chance at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027.
With the ODI status and a fresh start, the sky is the limit for Canada as they look to take another leap in their cricketing journey.
It will be a story for the ages if they manage to qualify for the next Men’s ODI World Cup after 16 years.
All matches in the Cricket World Cup League 2 pathway will be available live and free to view on ICC.tv (in select regions).