The 3-match ODI series between the West Indies and the UAE is slated to take place in Sharjah next month. This series is part of the West Indies men’s cricket team’s preparation for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe.

The matches, set to be played under lights, are scheduled for June 5, 7, and 9. Following this series, both teams will head to Zimbabwe for their World Cup qualifying campaign, which kickstarts on June 18. The tournament holds immense significance as it will decide the final teams to fill the slots for the 10-team ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in India.

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The qualifier tournament will see ten teams vying for two spots in the 2023 ODI World Cup, set to be hosted by India. Mubashshir Usmani, General Secretary of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), expressed his delight at hosting the West Indies, a former World Champion side, ahead of the qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe.

“We are delighted to host a former World Champion side like the West Indies ahead of the qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe. In recent months, our team has produced some sensational performances in the ODI format which have helped raise UAE cricket’s profile. Our qualification for the tournament in Zimbabwe is a testament of our recent achievements. We want to ensure we provide the best possible preparation to our team and this series will most certainly help in achieving the goal. We look forward to welcoming the West Indian team. We want to thank Cricket West Indies for their continuous support towards cricket development in the UAE,” General Secretary of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), Mubashshir Usmani said in an official statement released by West Indies Cricket.

Usmani acknowledged the recent impressive ODI performances by the UAE team that have elevated the profile of UAE cricket. He underlined the significance of the upcoming series in preparing the UAE team for the Zimbabwe tournament, acknowledging it as a reflection of their recent successes. Usmani expressed gratitude towards Cricket West Indies for their continuous support of cricket development in the UAE and looked forward to welcoming the West Indies team.

“This is our first ever bilateral tour against the UAE and we are pleased to have agreed this historic three-match ODI Series as it will provide a good opportunity for our players to get some preparation ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers. It will also allow those players not going to Zimbabwe to get some valuable experience at the international level in foreign conditions, which would be hugely beneficial to their growth and development. We are happy to work closely with the ECB to arrange the three matches and we see this as a partnership which can grow in the future,” Jimmy Adams, Director of Cricket for Cricket West Indies said.

On the other hand, Jimmy Adams, Director of Cricket for Cricket West Indies, recognized the bilateral tour against the UAE as a landmark event. He praised the three-match ODI series for providing a significant opportunity for player preparation ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers. The series will also offer international level experience in foreign conditions for those players not participating in the Zimbabwe tournament, contributing significantly to their growth and development. Adams further appreciated the collaboration with the ECB in organizing the matches and viewed this as a potential future growth partnership.