India has almost confirmed its place in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup. If things go in favor of Team India, it will be interesting to know who they will face in the semi-finals. The top two teams from Group 1 will face the top two teams from Group 2.
If India manage to finish the Super 12 stage in the top two spots, who could they face in the semi-finals? For that we have to look at the scenarios of Group 1:
- How many teams are there in the Super 12 stage?
The Super 12 stage consists of two groups of six teams each.
- How can teams qualify for the semi-finals?
The top two ranked teams in their respective groups after playing five matches along with all other group members will advance to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup.
- Who are the members of Group 2?
- Australia
- New Zealand
- England
- Afghanistan
- Sri Lanka
- Ireland
- What does the current mark sheet look like?
With 5 points from four matches played, New Zealand top the Group 1 points table Kane WilliamsonThe team led by U.S.A. reached the finals of the previous edition of the World Cup. On the other hand, Afghanistan are at the bottom with just one match win.
When it comes to Australia and England, both the teams have 5 points each and are placed second and third due to the difference in Net Run Rate (NRR).
Let’s know the chances of all the teams reaching the semi-finals-
The Kiwis are in the number one position with 5 points from four matches, and if they win the last match, they will advance to the semi-finals as Group 1 toppers, as their run-rate is +2.233, which is the highest among the teams. Much more than that. below them.
England are currently ranked second but have the same number of points as Australia after each match. Their next match is against Sri Lanka, which can become a big challenge for them. However, if England manage to beat Sri Lanka, it has a very high chance of breaking into the top two as they have a better NRR than Australia.
Ireland are fourth in the Group 1 table with 3 points. Even if they win their next match against New Zealand, their chances of making it to the top two are slim. They will have to expect Australia and England to lose their last matches and end up with a lower NRR than Ireland.
Defending champions Australia is in third place. The Kangaroos will have to win the remaining match by a huge margin. However, if England lose their remaining match, they will qualify directly.
Sri Lanka have 4 points from four matches. If they win the remaining matches they can reach a maximum of 6 points. On the other hand, England, Australia and New Zealand can reach a maximum of seven points if they win their remaining matches. Sri Lanka will have to hope to win their last match against England and lose their last match against New Zealand or Australia to qualify for the semi-finals.
Afghanistan cannot advance to the semi-finals as they have only 2 points and only one match left. Even if they win the previous match, they can reach a maximum of 4 points, which is less than the three teams currently score.
Now the question arises that who can face India in the semi-finals?
If Team India finishes as the table toppers of Group 2, it will face the team that is second in Group 1. If India finish in second place, it will be a clash with the table-toppers of Group 1 The next match is with Ireland and they could end up in first place.
Here’s the full schedule of the upcoming Group 1 matches:I
- November 4 (Friday): Ireland v New Zealand, Adelaide Ovala
- November 4 (Friday): Australia v Afghanistan, Adelaide Oval
- November 5 (Saturday): Sri Lanka v England, SCG, Sydney