Scenario For Each Team To Make It To The World Cup Semifinal

With Australia beating England on Tuesday, the World Cup has just spiced up. All of a sudden the likes of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have joined the race to enter the semifinals. Australia have already sealed their place in the last four while the other three spots are not decided. So, here we take a look at what all the teams need to do to progress ahead.

1. Australia (12 points):

Played: 7 | Won: 6 | Lost: 1 | NR: 0 | NRR: 0.906

The defending champions have become the first team to make it to the semifinal. They now have the luxury of using their remaining two games to carry out any experiment. At the same time, Australia will also like to win both the games in order to have the momentum by their side when they play the semifinal.

2. New Zealand (11 points):

Played: 6 | Won: 5 | Lost: 0 | NR: 1 | NRR 1.306

Still unbeaten in the World Cup, New Zealand have all but secured their passage to the last four. They can confirm it with a win against Pakistan on Wednesday. After the Pakistan game, the road will be tricky for the Black Caps as they will face Australia and England. They will be keen to get the work done against Pakistan.

3. India (9 points):

Played: 5 | Won: 4 | Lost: 0 | NR: 1 | NRR 0.809

Like New Zealand, India are also unbeaten in the World Cup so far. The Men in Blue are looking like the team to beat in the World Cup. They beat South Africa, Australia and Pakistan with utmost ease before defending a modest 224 against Afghanistan. India need to win two of their remaining four games to secure their passage to the semifinal. Their opponents for the remaining games are West Indies, England, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

4. England (8 points):

Played: 7 | Won: 4 | Lost: 3 | NR: 0 | NRR 1.051

No pre-tournament favourite has capitulated as much as England. The World Cup hosts were the red-hot favourites to win the tournament but are now in a spot of bother. Three losses in the competition have put them on the verge of elimination. What makes things even tougher for them is the opponents in their remaining two league games – India and New Zealand. Both the teams are still unbeaten in the competition and are more than capable of dumping England out of the tournament.

One win from the two games will not guarantee a semifinal spot for them although they can progress if other results go their way. But if they win both of their games, they will sail through.

5. Bangladesh (7 points):

Played: 7 | Won: 3 | Lost: 3 | NR: 1 | NRR -0.133

Bangladesh have done really well in the tournament although the results have not gone their way more often than not. They still have a chance to make it to the semifinal but will have to win at least one of their remaining two games and hope that the other results go their way. Even if they win both of their league games, they will have to depend on other results to make it to the last four. Bangladesh will take on India and Pakistan in their last two games.

6. Sri Lanka (6 points):

Played: 6 | Won: 2 | Lost: 2 | NR: 2 | NRR -1.119

It was Sri Lanka who really spiced up the competition by beating England and now they too stand a chance of making it to the semifinal. The Islanders have won just two of their six games but two washed-out games mean they have six points.

Victories over West Indies and South Africa alone could well be enough to secure a semi-final spot, while winning all three of their games will put them in prime position. But even then the other factors could come into play if England also win both their games and finish on 12 points. In case two teams finish on the same point, the team with more wins will progress ahead.

7. Pakistan (5 points):

Played: 6 | Won: 2 | Lost: 3 | NR: 1 | NRR -1.265

Pakistan are also in with a chance of making it to the semifinal. For that, they need to win at least two of their remaining three games and hope that the other results also go their way. Even if they win all of their remaining three games, they will end up on 11 points and will have to depend on other results,.

8. West Indies (3 points):

Played: 6 | Won: 1 | Lost: 4 | NR: 1 | NRR 0.19

West India might end up ruing their narrow 5-run loss to New Zealand. That defeat has all but dumped them out of the World Cup although they still have a mathematical chance of progressing. The two-time winners will need to win all three of their games and will have to rely on other results.

South Africa and Afghanistan, meanwhile, are out of the World Cup already. The Proteas have managed just 3 points from seven games while Afghanistan have lost all of their seven games.