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The race for the semi-finals in the 2023 ODI World Cup is intensifying with every passing game. Barring Bangladesh, who are eliminated, none of the other teams are mathematically out of contention for the semi-finals.
World Cup 2023: News | Schedule | Results | Points table
Afghanistan dished out a confident display to beat Netherlands in Lucknow on Friday, and that took them to fifth place with eight points, the same number of points as fourth-placed New Zealand and Australia in third place.
On Saturday, the focus shifts to New Zealand, when they take on Pakistan in Bengaluru in the day’s first game.
After a terrific start to the World Cup with four straight wins, things have not gone as expected for the Kiwis in the latter half of the group stage, having endured three defeats in a row.
That puts them in a tough spot, especially with teams like Afghanistan and Pakistan chasing in.
Let’s now take a look at some of the scenarios how teams like New Zealand, Pakistan and Australia could qualify:
New Zealand
New Zealand will have their task cut out against Pakistan in the early fixture on Saturday. While they are still battling for a semi-final spot, New Zealand can still play party-spoilers to other teams. Should the Black Caps beat Pakistan, it would mean that defending champions England be eliminated along with Pakistan, Netherlands and Sri Lanka.
A win for the Kiwis would take them to 10 points from eight games, and for Pakistan (six points) and Sri Lanka (four) it would be mathematically impossible then to reach the last four.
Netherlands are in eighth place with four points, whereas England are at the bottom of the table with just two points.
The Black Caps will still have a good chance of qualifying should they win both their remaining matches, which would take them to 12 points.
Pakistan
Their match against New Zealand becomes a must-win encounter for Pakistan, given that a defeat for the Men in Green would mean that they would be eliminated from the World Cup. Pakistan will remain at six points if they lose to New Zealand, and will only get to eight points should they defeat England in their final game.
Pakistan, however, will still have hope should they beat New Zealand. If they beat New Zealand and England, and Sri Lanka get the better of Kiwis in their final group game, that would mean Pakistan finish on 10 points, two points more than the Black Caps.
However, this could mean other results going their way, including Australia and South Africa beating Afghanistan so that the Afghans don’t go beyond 10 points.
Pakistan will be knock out of the World Cup should Afghanistan win both games, and Australia win at least two of the three games.
Australia
Australia remain favourites to qualify for the semi-finals despite a below-par start to the World Cup, where they lost games to India and South Africa.
Since then, the five-time champions have gone onto win four matches in a row and are on eight points from six games, currently third in the standings.
Three wins in their final three games would take them to 14 points and guarantee a place in the semi-finals, but they can also progress with two wins out of three games, should one of their wins come against Afghanistan.
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