Earlier this year, during the India vs England ODI series, the then England captain Jos Buttler said that the 50-over format has been pushed to its margin and he is unsure about its relevance and future. “I’m unsure, to be honest,” he told reporters on the eve of the first ODI against India in Nagpur. However, as things stand, the men’s Cricket World Cup is likely to live on, with broadcast rights sold in India until the 2027 edition being hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, and 2031 is to be staged by India and Bangladesh.But the question is, for how long will it survive?And if it will survive, the big question is whether England would be able to qualify.In the updated ICC men’s ODI team rankings last week, England slipped to eighth place. The 2027 ODI World Cup qualification scenariosFourteen teams will be part of the next World Cup. Two of them have already qualified – South Africa and Zimbabwe – as co-hosts of the tournament. Namibia is also a host nation, but automatic qualification as a tournament host is only limited to the ICC Full Members.
The top eight teams as per the ODI rankings will directly qualify for the World Cup, excluding the host nations. As it stands now, the teams making the cut would be India, New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, England, and West Indies.The remaining four places will be filled via a qualifying tournament. This event will feature 10 teams, including the next two in the rankings after the top eight and hosts — currently, that would be Bangladesh and Ireland.Can England still make it?After a back-to-back group stage exit from the 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy, the England cricket team has parted ways with Jos Buttler.Who’s that IPL player?The England Cricket Board (ECB) has appointed Harry Brook as their new white-ball captain. Brook’s first series as captain will be against West Indies, who are one point ahead of them in the ODI ratings. The two sides will play a three-ODI series later this month. A series loss against West Indies could potentially see England fall below Bangladesh and land up at No. 10 in the rankings. If they end up there by the cut-off date, England would have to participate in the qualifying tournament.
