Ashish Bagai had been named to captain Canada in the last two World Cricket League (WCL) games of the 2011-2013 campaign against the Netherlands. These two WCL games are scheduled on August 27 and 29 at the Maple Leaf Cricket Club, King City, Ontario. The WCL matches follow the four-day, first-class Intercontinental Cup fixture between Canada and the Netherlands at the same ground scheduled from 22-25 August.
Former Ugandan international Kenneth Kamyuka has been included in the Canadian squad. Kamyuka made a big impression with his bowling in the 2001 ICC Trophy played in the Greater Toronto Area and with an unbeaten 100 against Malaysia at Eglinton Flats. Kamyuka’s best score in a List A match was 126 not out against Papua New Guinea in a 2005 ICC Trophy game in Dublin, Ireland. His best bowling in List A games is four for 39 against Denmark.
Kamyuka hit 85 against Canada, then took two for 46 a 2009 ICC World Cup Qualifier in South Africa. A game Canada won by five wickets.
The top two sides from the WCL Championship will qualify automatically for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, while the bottom six teams will receive a second chance to progress at next year’s ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand. Ireland has already sealed one of those two places in next year’s World Cup Qualifier.
The eight WCL teams will be joined in the 2014 World Cup Qualifier by Hong Kong, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and Uganda.
The Netherlands are currently in second position in the WCL Championship with 15 points , tied on points with Afghanistan and Scotland. At present, the Dutch have the edge on net run rate (NRR) going into this last round of matches.
The UAE, who beat Canada in two WCL games at King City earlier this month, are one point behind in fifth position. On the Cricket Canada website, Canadian national coach Gus Logie has said, “We look forward to the I-Cup series against the Netherlands with a renewed sense of anticipation and expectation following our below par showing against the UAE in the just concluded ODI and T20 series.”
Logie’s remarks concluded, “The work continues in an effort to improve every aspect of our game, especially in the area of mental toughness. Our opponent will no doubt by as tough a challenge as will be expected and we will need to be extremely focused and strong in mind.”
News of Canadian squad for the WCL matches against the Netherlands appeared in an ICC Media release issued on Sunday (August 18, 2013).
The squads for the ICC Intercontinental Cup match between Canada and the Netherlands were also included in the ICC Media release.
Canada v Netherlands – Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship Squads
Canada Squad: Ashish Bagai (captain), Harvir Baidwan, Damodar Daesrath, Jeremy Gordon, Ruvindu Gunasekera, Amarbir Hansra, Kenneth Kamyuka, Nitish Kumar, Usman Limbada, Salman Nazar, Henry Osinde, Hiral Patel, Raza-ur-Rehman and Junaid Siddiqui
Netherlands Squad: Peter Borren (captain), Wesley Barresi, Mudassar Bukhari, Daan Van Bunge, Ben Cooper, Tim Gruijters, Timm Van Der Gugten, Ahsan Malik, Stephan Myburgh, Michael Rippon, Edgar Schiferli, Pieter Seelaar, Michael Swart and Eric Szwarczynski
Pepsi ICC WCL Championship 2011-2013 (After six rounds)
M W L Tie N/R Pts Net RR
Ireland 12 9 1 1 1 20 +1.011
Netherlands 12 7 4 1 0 15 +0.345
Afghanistan 12 7 4 0 1 15 +0.323
Scotland 12 7 4 0 1 15 +0.025
UAE 12 7 5 0 0 14 -0.112
Kenya 12 5 7 0 0 10 -0.029
Namibia 12 2 10 0 0 4 -0.849
Canada 12 1 10 0 1 3 -0.678
Other Matches in Pepsi ICC WCL Round 7
6 Sep Ireland v Scotland – 1st ODI at Stormont, Belfast, Northern Ireland
8 Sep Ireland v Scotland – 2nd ODI at Stormont, Belfast, Northern Ireland
27 Sep UAE v Namibia – 1st 50-over match, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
29 Sep UAE v Namibia – 2nd 50-over match, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
2 Oct Afghanistan v Kenya – 1st ODI, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
4 Oct Afghanistan v Kenya – 2nd ODI, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Canada v Netherlands – ICC Intercontinental Cup squads
Canada : Amarbir Hansra (captain), Ashish Bagai, Harvir Baidwan, Damodar Daesrath, Jeremy Gordon, Ruvindu Gunasekera, Nitish Kumar, Usman Limbada, Salman Nazar, Henry Osinde, Hiral Patel, Cecil Pervez, Raza Rehman and Junaid Siddiqui
Netherlands : Peter Borren (captain), Wesley Barresi, Mudassar Bukhari, Daan Van Bunge, Tim Gruijters, Tom Heggelman, Vivian Kingma, Ahsan Malik, Paul Van Meekeren, Stephan Myburgh, Michael Rippon, Pieter Seelaar, Michael Swart and Eric Szwarczynski
Note: Ahsan Malik’s name was not included in the Dutch squad previously reported on Canada Cricket Online. (EN)