The qualification scenario for the remaining teams in the World Cup is starting to take shape, with India and South Africa already securing their spots in the semifinals. Following Pakistan and Australia’s victories on Saturday, here’s how the qualification looks for the other teams:
Australia currently has 10 points and sits in third place. With two more games to go, they only need to win one of them to secure a spot in the semis. Their upcoming opponents are Afghanistan and Bangladesh. If they lose both matches, they will have to rely on favorable results in other games.
New Zealand, currently in fourth place with 8 points, has limited options. They must win their remaining match against Sri Lanka. However, even a victory in that game won’t guarantee them a spot in the semis. They also need Pakistan and Afghanistan to lose their remaining matches.
If New Zealand loses, they will have to hope for Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands to lose their remaining contests by significant margins.
Pakistan, also with 8 points, finds itself in a similar situation as New Zealand. They must win their remaining game against England and ensure a big margin of victory to improve their net run rate compared to the Kiwis. If they lose to England, they would hope for New Zealand, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands to also lose by big margins.
Afghanistan, currently in sixth place with 8 points, has a straightforward task in front of them. They need to win their remaining matches against Australia and South Africa to secure their place in the semis. However, it won’t be easy, especially against Australia, who are desperate for a spot in the semis. If Afghanistan loses one or both of their fixtures, they will have to rely on New Zealand and Pakistan losing their remaining matches by big margins.
Sri Lanka, currently seventh with 4 points, faces Bangladesh and New Zealand in their next games. Besides winning both matches by significant margins, they need the above-mentioned teams to lose their remaining games by considerable margins to have an outside chance of making it to the semis. A loss in either of the two matches would eliminate them from contention.
The Netherlands, currently eighth with 4 points, is in the same situation as Sri Lanka. They hope to win their remaining matches against England and India by massive margins, although this seems unlikely. Their chances also depend on New Zealand, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka losing their matches by big margins. One more defeat would end their race for the semis.
The qualification race for the World Cup semifinals is heating up, and these teams face an uphill battle to secure their spots. Only time will tell which teams will emerge victorious and make it to the next stage of the competition.
[Image Source: NDTV Sports]
