The event promises a thrilling conclusion to the season as teams clash in a unique knockout format, making every match crucial in the battle for golf’s biggest payday as The Challenge Tour is in Italy
sports2 days ago
Pakistan’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup semifinals remained intact after they got the better of Bangladesh by seven wickets on Tuesday. With 14 matches still to be played at the league stage, the race for the semifinal berths remains wide open.
Hosts India are currently the best-placed side to reach the next stage while Bangladesh are the first team to be eliminated from the competition. Let us take a look at what exactly the teams need to do to earn a spot at the last-four stage.
Table-toppers India will have to collect one more point to qualify for the semifinals. They are the only unbeaten side at the World Cup so far. India have three more matches left at the league stage.
Two wins from their remaining three league stage games will be enough for second-placed South Africa to earn a spot in the semifinals. One more win will also be enough for the Proteas but in that case, they will have to be at a greater Net Run Rate (NRR) than at least one of the four other sides — India, New Zealand, Australia and Afghanistan—who stand a chance of reaching 12 points.
The Kiwis can advance to the next stage of the competition by simply winning their remaining three games. Just one win can also guide New Zealand to the semifinals but in that case, the Black Caps must have a higher NRR than the sides who can also finish the league stage with 10 points.
The path to qualification is quite simple for the Aussies. Winning their remaining three games will be just enough for the five-time champions to reach the semifinals. Australia can still reach the next stage winning just one out of three games. To secure their qualification with just one win from the next three matches, Australia must have a higher NRR than the teams who can end up with 10 points.
Pakistan have two more matches to play at the league stage of the World Cup. Merely winning the remaining matches will not be enough for them to qualify for the semifinals. They will have to depend on the NRR even after winning their last two games. One win will not bring an end to Pakistan’s World Cup campaign. In such a situation, Pakistan will have to depend on NRR and outcomes of Australia, New Zealand and Afghanistan’s matches.
Afghanistan’s chances of reaching the next stage seems a bit tricky but certainly not impossible. The Asian side will have to win their remaining three games to stay alive in the competition. At the same time, Afghanistan will want either New Zealand or Australia to concede defeat in at least one match by a massive margin or lose two games.
Sri Lanka’s chances of reaching the knockouts are also just mathematically alive. The first step for Sri Lanka will be to win their remaining three league stage fixtures. Sri Lanka will need the five teams (apart from India) ahead of them to not earn more than 10 points and secure an inferior NRR compared to theirs.
The Netherlands will have to win their remaining three league matches by big margins to stay in the hunt for a semifinal berth. At the same time, the Dutch side would want no more than three teams to finish the league stage with 10 points or more.
Despite enduring a poor World Cup 2023 journey, defending champions England’s chances of qualifying for the semi-finals are still alive, albeit by the most slender of margins. England’s qualification chances heavily hinge on other teams and their results. England will have to win their last three league games and hope just three nations finish with more than eight points in the World Cup standings.
(This story was written during the match between New Zealand and South Africa)
ALSO READ:
The event promises a thrilling conclusion to the season as teams clash in a unique knockout format, making every match crucial in the battle for golf’s biggest payday as The Challenge Tour is in Italy
sports2 days ago
Dynamic duo making waves in the UAE golf community with support for EGF Order of Merit events while balancing competition and social engagement
sports2 days ago
UAE women's cricket team turned their fortunes around with a memorable triumph in Namibia
sports3 days ago
Winners edge out Stuart Smith’s squad by a hair in a thrilling 21-team showdown at Yas Links Abu Dhabi as Jackson Bell wins Individual Title
sports3 days ago
Many City players, including Kevin De Bruyne, Manuel Akanji, and Bernardo Silva, have voiced concerns about the crammed calendar this season
sports3 days ago
Eleonora clinched the win at the Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region, with a decisive strong sprint
sports3 days ago
The F1 championship continues at the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend
sports3 days ago
The Northern Ireland star expresses disappointment in the loss but focuses on positives ahead at Wentworth
sports3 days ago