- Wednesday, February 26, 2025
India are leading the table with an all-win record while South Africa, New Zealand and Australia are the other four teams in the top four at the moment.
By: Shubham Ghosh
THE ICC World Cup 2023 is approaching its business end and the contesting teams are in the middle of an intense competition to make the knockouts at the end of the sixth round. There are 10 teams in all and hosts India are placed at the top of the table at the moment with six wins out of as many games. Almost all the teams still have chances of making the semi-final even though Bangladesh, who got all out for only 204 against Pakistan in their match in Kolkata on Tuesday (31), will be the first team to get eliminated officially if they lose it.
Here is a look at how the teams are placed at the moment and can make it to the semifinals:
INDIA (12 points from 6 matches)
The hosts are comfortably placed with zero losses and an assuring net run rate (NRR) of +1.405. While they have not been assured a place in the semi-finals yet, one more win in their remaining three matches will secure their berth in the last four. However, India’s chances could be jeopardised if they lose all three matches and other teams do well but given the form Rohit Sharma’s men are in at the moment, a defeat is not what the Indian fans are thinking about at the moment. India will play Sri Lanka on November 2, South Africa on November 5 and the Netherlands on November 12.
SOUTH AFRICA (10 points in 6 matches)
South Africa have been delivering some powerful punches with the bat, especially when batting first, and they have lost only one game so far out of six, that too against the non-Test-playing Netherlands. They narrowly pulled off the game against Pakistan and have 10 points from six outings at the moment and a superior NRR of +2.032. They ideally will need two more wins to confirm their entry in the last four and their remaining matches are against New Zealand (November 1), India (November 5) and Afghanistan (November 10). If they lose two out of those three, the Proteas may face a last-minute heartbreak.
NEW ZEALAND (8 points in 6 matches)
The Black Caps were among the top two teams for the first few weeks but two consecutive losses against India and Australia saw them slipping to the third spot. But the runners-up of 2015 and 2019 still have enough opportunities to make it to the knockouts. New Zealand are currently at eight points with four wins and two losses and will play South Africa (November 1), Pakistan (November 4) and Sri Lanka (November 9). They have an impressive NRR of +1.232 which puts them ahead of Australia who also have the same number of points and unless Tom Latham’s boys have a major slump in their remaining games, New Zealand should not have any problem in reaching their sixth successive World Cup semifinal.
AUSTRALIA (8 points in 6 matches)
The five-time champions had a devastating start to their campaign by losing to India and South Africa but Pat Cummins’s side has made a strong comeback since then, winning four games on the trot. Their NRR stands at +0.970 and with three matches coming up against a low-placed England (November 4), Afghanistan (November 7) and Bangladesh (November 11), the Kangaroos will consider themselves strong enough to make the semifinals. Like their Trans-Tasman rivals, Australia will also be cautious not to see a major slip in their remaining campaign and make their third successive semi-final since 2015.
AFGHANISTAN (6 points from 6 matches)
After their horrific campaign in the 2019 edition in England where they lost all their nine matches, Afghanistan were not among the most fancied sides at the beginning of this World Cup. They started poorly by losing to Bangladesh. But ever since they shocked reigning champions England, the Afghans have been a force. They have beaten Pakistan and Sri Lanka and now have six points from six matches and an NRR of -0.718. Afghanistan will play the Netherlands on November 3, Australia on November 7 and South Africa on November 10. Though a difficult path ahead, Afghanistan would give it all to make their first-ever semi-final in the World Cup.
SRI LANKA (4 points in 6 matches)
The 1996 champions have had a roller coaster ride in this World Cup and will look to end their campaign in the round-robin league on a good note. They lost their first three games before beating the Netherlands and England but a seven-wicket defeat against Afghanistan hurt their chances of making the semi-finals. Kusal Mendis’s side has now four points from six games and will play India on November 2, Bangladesh on November 6 and New Zealand on November 9. The Lankans, who have a NRR of -0.275, would like to win all the three games to make it to the semi-finals.
PAKISTAN (4 points from 6 matches)
Babar Azam’s side lost four consecutive matches after winning their first two against the Dutch and Sri Lanka and were on the verge of getting knocked out with only four points from six outings. However, they were looking solid against Bangladesh and a win against them would improve their standings with six points from seven matches. Their NRR before the start of the match against Bangladesh was -0.387. Pakistan, who would rue their one-wicket defeat against South Africa in the previous game, will play New Zealand on November 4 and England on November 11 and will have to win both those matches to remain in the contention for a semi-final spot.
NETHERLANDS (4 points from 6 matches)
A surprise package of this World Cup, the Dutch came after qualifying and beat a strong South Africa and Bangladesh to pick up four points and have an NRR of -1.277. They will play Afghanistan on November 3, England on November 8 and India on November 12. A semi-final spot may look distant for the Orange Brigade but they will not mind spoiling some other team’s party by winning some of their remaining fixtures.
BANGLADESH (2 points from 6 matches)
The Tigers were set to be officially eliminated as the first team from the World Cup after losing to Pakistan on Tuesday. After having won their first match against Afghanistan, Bangladesh lost five consecutive games and were in danger of missing a spot in the Champions Trophy of 2025. Their NRR is -0.1338 and will have two games of academic interest remaining once they lose to Pakistan, against Sri Lanka on November 6 and Australia on November 11.
ENGLAND (2 points from 6 matches)
The 2019 champions have had a forgetful tournament so far and like Bangladesh, another loss will also see them going out of the tournament and also the Champions Trophy. England started with a defeat against New Zealand and have tasted heavy defeats barring the win against Bangladesh. The Three Lions have a NRR of -1.652 and will have to win their three remaining matches handsomely if they wish to accomplish the herculean mission of making the last four. England’s remaining games are against Australia on November 4, Netherlands on November 8 and Pakistan on November 11.
