Former Indian batter Gautam Gambhir brings out his emotional side on the social media application Twitter as two-time world champions West Indies are knocked out of ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 after losing to Scotland in a World Cup Qualifier Super Six match today.
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Having managed to sneak past the group stage of the qualifying event in Zimbabwe despite suffering losses against the hosts and Netherlands, all the Super Six matches were already do-or-die for the Windies. As it turned out, a defeat for the first time in this format against this opposition has meant that they will not be part of an ODI World Cup for the first time in the history of cricket.
The Shai Hope-led side had to win each of their remaining three matches against Scotland, Sri Lanka and Oman and would then also hope for other results to go in their favour in order to become one of the two remaining teams left to qualify for a 10-team World Cup slated to be played in India later this year.
Gautam Gambhir Gets Emotional As West Indies Knocked Out Of World Cup 2023
A dejected Gambhir took to his social media handle to express faith in the West Indian side despite them failing to qualify for a marquee quadrennial ICC tournament. Claiming his love for West Indies and West Indian cricket, the 41-year-old still believes that the ‘Men in Maroon’ have the required talent and caliber to become the No. 1 side in world cricket.
I love West Indies
I love West Indian cricket
I still believe they can be the No.1 team in world cricket!— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) July 1, 2023
As far as the match is concerned, Hope and his men were short on hopes after getting dismissed at a rather paltry score of 181 in 43.5 overs post being invited to bat first.
The experienced Scottish batting line-up made sure to not make a mess of a wonderful opportunity, and steadily went past the target with seven wickets in hand and more than six overs to spare. Wicket-keeper batter Matthew Cross (74*) and batter Brandon McMullen (69) were up for the task, as Scotland have kept their World Cup qualification hopes alive.
Yet to get off-the-mark in the Super Sixes points table, West Indies are presently placed at the fifth spot and the maximum they can collect is four points from the remaining two matches. The likes of Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka have already notched-up six points each and are the front-runners to qualify.
ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Qualification Points Table (Super Sixes)
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points | NRR |
| Sri Lanka | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | +1.832 |
| Zimbabwe | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | +0.752 |
| Scotland | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | +0.188 |
| Netherlands | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | -0.560 |
| West Indies | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -0.510 |
| Oman | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -2.139 |
N.B. – Top two teams in the points table will qualify for ICC World Cup 2023.
