Any route to World Cup

Any route to World Cup
Associated Press / Arnulfo Franco

West Indies Captain Jason Holder does not believe in his side having to play in a qualifying tournament to reach the 2019 World Cup in England, is an embarrassment for the Caribbean team.

West Indies hopes of automatic qualification were dashed when they were beaten in the two of the five One-Day International (ODI) series against England.

The regional side would have had to give England a whitewash (5-0) in the series.

West Indies, two-time former World Cup Champions, will now have to battle minnows Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe along with four other teams from the ICC World Cricket League Championship and another two from the ICC World Cricket League Division Two in a tournament next year, for a place in the World Cup.

Holder, who also led the Windies at the last World Cup in 2015 in Australia and New Zealand, said their ultimate goal was to qualify for the tournament regardless of the route.

West Indies had received a major boost for the series with the return of leading players Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels after Cricket West Indies relaxed the stringent eligibility rules, allowing them to be selected for the series.