There are five matches left in the league stage of the 2023 World Cup, and one semifinal position is yet to be determined. India will secure the top spot on the points table, and their semifinal opponent will be the team that finishes in fourth place.
Meanwhile, Australia and South Africa are poised to finish just below India and are scheduled to face each other in the semifinals.
The question remains: who will face India in the semifinals? Three teams – Pakistan, New Zealand, and Afghanistan – are still in the running. All of them have accumulated eight points, with New Zealand currently holding the highest net run rate. The final standings will depend on the outcomes of upcoming matches.
Here Are The 3 Key Matches Yet To Be Played In The 2023 World Cup’s League Stage:
#1 The 42nd match of the 2023 World Cup features South Africa against Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s impressive performance in the 2023 World Cup has been marred by losses to Bangladesh, India, New Zealand, and Australia.
Their recent defeat to Australia was especially painful due to dropped catches, poor decisions, and Glenn Maxwell’s extraordinary innings. This loss has made it extremely difficult for them to overtake the two teams ahead of them in the standings.
With a net run rate of -0.338, they face a crucial match against South Africa on November 10 in Ahmedabad. They might get insights from New Zealand and Pakistan’s matches to improve their net run rate.
#2 The 41st match of the 2023 World Cup features New Zealand against Sri Lanka
New Zealand plays their final league game against Sri Lanka at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday, November 9, before both Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Rain might affect the match, but Bengaluru’s drainage system should ensure a result. This situation isn’t ideal for New Zealand.
They must wait and see if Pakistan and Afghanistan outperform them, even if they win against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka, already out of the competition, has nothing much to lose, with only a Champions Trophy spot at stake.
New Zealand’s recent form has been poor, with losses in their last four matches. They hope their superior net run rate (+0.398) will prevent an early exit from the group stage.
#3 The 44th match of the 2023 World Cup features England against Pakistan
In the second-to-last match of the 2023 World Cup league stage, England and Pakistan will face off at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on November 11.
Pakistan is eager to avoid a repeat of their 2019 fate when they missed the semifinals due to net run rate. Currently, Pakistan’s net run rate is +0.036, and they have a knack for making comebacks from seemingly impossible situations.
Babar Azam’s team has won their last two matches against Bangladesh and New Zealand and looks forward to playing in Kolkata.
Meanwhile, England has a lot at stake in this match. Missing out on the Champions Trophy, a real possibility at this stage, would be a significant embarrassment for the 2019 World Cup champions.
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