​

 

The 14 teams have been split into two pools. Each team will face each other in its pool in six round-robin matches between March 6 and March 15. The top two teams from each pool will progress to semifinals, while the other teams will play off for lower positions. This means that each of the 14 teams will play eight games.

 

The final will likely be held at the famous Newlands Stadium on March 20.

 

Pool A features hosts South Africa, along with 2018 finalists Pakistan, as well as England, Wales, India, Namibia, and the USA, while Pool B includes defending world champions Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Canada, Sri Lanka and the UAE.

 

Tournament Director Roger Moult said: “The tournament will be hosted by cricket clubs, schools and universities around the Western Cape. We welcome newcomers to the veteran cricket scene, USA and the UAE. We are looking forward to re-creating the excitement and spirit which was evident in 2020.”

 

The USA has made a strong entry to international Over-50s. The team debuted in a tri-series in Canada in 2021, then toured the UK, playing against England and Wales. They then hosted another tri-series in March of 2022, which they won, going unbeaten against Canada and the West Indies.

 

Parak Ananta, the director of Masters Cricket USA, was delighted about his team’s inclusion in the tournament, saying: “Playing in the Over 50s Cricket World Cup is the holy grail for all veteran cricket players. Having had a taste of playing some over-50s international cricket, we are eagerly looking forward to this cricket carnival and rubbing shoulders with the cricketing elite from around the world. Masters Cricket USA is very thankful to the World Over-50 Steering Committee for this wonderful opportunity.”

 

The UAE has a large number of Over-50s cricketers and will be sending its first national team to tournaments in South Africa this month and Barbados later in the year.

 

Vijay Mehra from Masters Cricket UAE said: “All the over-50s cricketers in the UAE are thrilled at the prospect of playing international cricket at this stage of their lives. We are determined to provide as much international cricket exposure to our members to showcase their talent in the coming months to be able to then select and put up a very strong and competitive side for the World Cup in March 2023.”

 

Regarding the two new teams, Over-50s World Cup Steering Committee Chairman Stirling Hamman added: “We are delighted and excited to welcome the USA and the UAE into the over-50s fold. They have shown great initiative and enthusiasm and have built up a strong player base and organisation, which really impressed us. We believe they will be a wonderful addition to the tournament.”

 

For all news and results regarding over-50s cricket, particularly the World Cup, please follow the official Facebook page and the Twitter page.