Prospective 2023 Cricket World Cup semi-finalists
Certain pre-tournament favorites are unlikely to make it to the knockout stage, even if no team is out of the running.
While there is theoretically no team that cannot advance to the World Cup 2023 knockout stage, several pre-tournament favorites, including defending champion England, have very little chance of finishing in the top four.
India, South Africa, and New Zealand are all set to go to the next round after each team has played five matches.
The Men in Blue have won all five of their matches and, barring an embarrassing performance against England, Sri Lanka, South Africa, or the Netherlands in their upcoming matches, appear certain to make it to the semifinals.
The Black Caps and Proteas, who have won four of their last five games and have a strong net run rate, are comparable in this regard. Second position Throughout the competition, South Africa has sent a warning shot with four totals above 300, including more than 400 against Sri Lanka.
The Proteas’ only mishap occurred in an unexpected 38-run defeat to the Netherlands when they were dismissed for 207 runs.
Their upcoming games are against Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and New Zealand.
With just two more victories, the Black Caps, who finished second in the last two World Cups, should be able to guarantee themselves a spot in the semifinals once more.
The matches they have left are against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, South Africa, and Australia.
With three wins from five games, Australia is presently in fourth place.
With two victories apiece, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka can still hope to secure a semi-final berth, but it will depend entirely on how well they play and how other games turn out.
Australia, in fourth position, has been gaining ground after suffering two heartbreaking defeats to begin the season.
They still have games against Afghanistan, Bangladesh, England, and New Zealand.
With two wins and a higher net run rate than Pakistan and Afghanistan, Sri Lanka is ranked fifth after defeating England.
The matches that Sri Lanka will play next are against Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, and New Zealand.
Despite their two convincing wins to start the tournament, Green Shirts are now in danger of not making it to the knockout stages.
Pakistan still has a lot of work ahead of them in their remaining games, so the unexpected setback to Afghanistan could be expensive.
To get back on track, the 1992 winners had to end their losing skid against South Africa. Should this not happen, Pakistan will have to rely on other outcomes to salvage a semi-final spot.
The remaining fixtures are against England, Bangladesh, South Africa, and New Zealand.
Afghanistan is also a contender to go to the semifinals. For their hopes to survive, they must win three out of the four games they have left. South Africa, the Netherlands, Australia, and Sri Lanka are their next opponents.
