The tournament’s format, featuring a round-robin group stage where each team plays against every other team, has led to a congested mid-table and created a situation where even England, currently holding the last spot with a mere 2 points and three games to play, retains a remote chance of advancing to the final four.
As the Cricket World Cup approaches its decisive stage, let’s examine how each team stands in the race for the semifinals.
What’s the crucial number?
Accumulating 14 points is the requirement for a guaranteed semifinal berth. Even 12 points can suffice but may necessitate some external assistance. India, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia control their destinies in their quest for the semifinals.
India – Played: 6; Points: 12
For India, clinching a victory in any of their remaining three matches secures a spot in the semifinals since no team beyond the top 4 can match their 14-point tally. Even if they suffer three losses, they can still qualify, provided Afghanistan, which has a chance of reaching 12 points, doesn’t surpass them based on net run rate (NRR).
South Africa – Played: 6; Points: 10
South Africa requires two additional wins in their remaining fixtures against New Zealand, Afghanistan, and India to lock in a semifinal spot. A single win could suffice if teams ranked 5th-8th in the points table lose their remaining games. If they lose all three, South Africa’s campaign could come to an end.
New Zealand – Played: 6; Points: 8
Despite encountering two consecutive defeats, New Zealand can secure a semifinal berth by winning two of their upcoming three matches against South Africa, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. However, losing two of these matches, particularly against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, could place them in a precarious position. A solitary victory among these encounters might still prove sufficient.
Australia – Played: 6; Points: 8
Similar to New Zealand, Australia needs to clinch at least two more victories to advance. They arguably have a more favorable fixture list, facing England, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh next. A win against their arch-rivals would also eliminate England from the competition. Should the Aussies secure just one win out of three, net run rate (NRR) would become crucial, as 10 points alone might not guarantee qualification.
What about the other teams?
Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and even the Netherlands still retain a chance of reaching the top 4. If Afghanistan wins all three remaining matches and attains 12 points, they stand a strong chance. Sri Lanka and Pakistan, too, can reach 10 points if they win all three of their matches. The same possibility applies to the Netherlands.
In the most complex scenario imaginable, with Australia and New Zealand securing only one victory each, Pakistan and Sri Lanka winning all three matches, Afghanistan winning two out of three, and South Africa losing all three, six teams could finish with 10 points.
#Australia Cricket Team #Cricket World Cup #Indian Cricket Team #ODI World Cup 2023 #Pakistan Cricket Team #Team India
