By Canadian Press

Canadian cricketers regain one-day international status at Namibia qualifier

Apr 5, 2023 | 9:11 AM

WINDHOEK, Namibia — Pargat Singh led the batting attack with 66 runs and bowler Jeremy Gordon took six wickets as Canada wrapped up play Wednesday at the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier Playoff with a 90-run victory over winless Papua New Guinea

While Canada fell short of its main goal of reaching the final round of qualification for the 2023 World Cup, it regained its one-day international status for the first time in almost a decade by finishing in the top four and will join the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2.

The top two teams from the Namibia playoff progress to the final qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe in June that will determine the last two participants in the 10-team World Cup in India in October.

The U.S. (4-1-0) and United Arab Emirates (4-1-0) finished 1-2 to advance. Canada (3-2-0) finished fourth, behind Namibia (3-2-0) on net run rate. 

The Emirates defeated Jersey (1-4-0) by 66 runs Wednesday.

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The Canadians worked hard to get to this stage, advancing to the Namibia event by finishing atop League A in the six-country World Cup Challenge League with a 13-1-0 record with one no-result.

Canada won the toss Wednesday and elected to bat first at the United Cricket Club Ground, finishing at 218 for eight in its 50 overs.

Openers Aaron Johnson and Matthew Spoors combined for 62 runs until Spoors was removed for LBW at 11. Johnson went on to score 53 runs.

Singh entered in the 12th over and lasted until the 47th when he was bowled by Riley Hekure. The No. 3 batsman hit six fours in his 106-ball innings. Captain Saad Bin Zafar added 28 off 48 balls.

Opener Tony Ura led Papua New Guinea (0-5-0) with 33 runs but got little support as PNG lost its first six wickets with just 74 runs on the board. Papua New Guinea was all out for 128 after 37 overs.

Gordon’s six wickets came at the expense of 43 runs over 10 overs.

Canada lost to Namibia by 111 runs on Tuesday. The Canadians opened with wins over Jersey and the U.S., by 31 and 26 runs respectively, before losing by six wickets to the United Arab Emirates — with just six balls remaining — on Saturday.

The World Cup is the international championship of one-day cricket, with teams playing 50-over matches.

The Canadian men last played at the World Cup in 2011, missing out in 2015 and ’19. Canada has taken part in four of the previous 12 World Cups, never making it out of the first round.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2023

The Canadian Press