Even though the ODI World Cup 2023 is far past halfway through, all ten countries still have a chance to advance to the semifinals.
After playing six games apiece, teams like South Africa and India, who have amassed 12 and 10 points, respectively, are about to qualify for the semi-finals. Australia and New Zealand, who each have eight points after six games played, complete the current top four.
Before their match on October 30, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka both have four points from five games. The ‘Blue Tigers’ defeated the Australians by seven wickets and are now in fifth in the points table, behind them.
After losing to Hashmatullah Shahidi’s team in Pune on October 30, Sri Lanka found it challenging to qualify for the semi-finals. Two teams might theoretically finish with 12 points or more, while up to seven teams could finish with 8 points, vying for the final two positions.
Sri Lanka, who can finish with a maximum of 10 points, is still in the running as a result. They still have matches against New Zealand (November 9), Bangladesh (November 6) and India (November 2). In the main event, India and New Zealand are at their best, and Sri Lanka will need to perform at its very best to defeat them.
Can Pakistan reach the semi-finals and snap their four-match losing streak?
Pakistan started the campaign with consecutive victories over Sri Lanka and the Netherlands, but then lost their next four games in a row. The ‘Men in Green’ have four points from six matches, including one against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s net run-rate (NRR) of -0.275 is significantly better than Pakistan’s -0.387, which raises concerns.
Not even a victory in all three of Pakistan’s remaining matches (against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and England) can allow them to tie India’s current point total of twelve. However, Pakistan can re-enter the picture if at least one of New Zealand, South Africa, or Australia loses a few games and does not get over the 10-point threshold; in this case, NRR will likely prove to be the deciding factor. With the eight-point scenario outlined above, Pakistan will still have an opportunity to qualify even if they lose one game.
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