Panic over, England fans - your team will NOT have to qualify for the 2027 Cricket World Cup.

England's recent struggles in 50-over cricket had seen them drop down the rankings, putting their automatic entry into next autumn's tournament in Africa at risk. However, they managed to halt the decline with impressive come-from-behind series victories:

• Sri Lanka earlier this year
• India at home in July

These wins secured Harry Brook's men a spot in the top eight of the rankings ahead of the September 30 cut-off.

South Africa, co-hosts of the upcoming event, is confirmed in fourth place, while Bangladesh (ninth) and Zimbabwe (another co-host) also secure direct entry. Other guaranteed entrants include India, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan, who qualified by defeating Ireland.

In contrast, two-time champions West Indies, ranked 10th, face the disappointment of entering the qualifying tournament for the third consecutive 50-over World Cup. The Caribbean side, which won the World Cup in 1975 and 1979, reached the 2019 edition but failed to qualify for the 2023 tournament in India.

Despite having two more ODIs in India before the cut-off, the West Indies cannot break into the top nine rankings. They will join Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland, USA, and five yet-to-be-determined teams in the qualifiers scheduled for February and March.

Notably, the new format for 2027 allows the qualifier winner to advance directly to the second stage, while the second, third, and fourth place teams will enter the first round, known as the Super Series. This late change has drawn criticism from the Scottish and Dutch cricket boards, who argue it undermines the integrity of international cricket. Sky Sports News has reached out to the ICC for comments.