T20 World Cup Points Table: Australia in danger after New Zealand reach semis
New Zealand on Friday became the first team out of the 12 currently playing the T20 World Cup to qualify for the semi-finals. The BlackCaps, who are placed in a tough Pool 1, alongside 50-over world champions England and reigns T20I champs Australia, pipped both to cement their place in the knockout. With all three teams placed on 5 points prior to the double-header earlier today, any team could have beaten the two others to race to the final four, but eventually, it was NZ, who reached their second consecutive T20 World Cup semis. Australia on the other hand, despite beating Afghanistan are in danger of getting knocked out as only a Sri Lanka win over England tomorrow can see them go through.
How did that happen? Here is the explainer. Throughout the Super 12 stage, New Zealand enjoyed a healthy run-rate, and once they defeated Ireland by 35 runs earlier in the day at the Adelaide Oval, the BlackCaps took their NRR to a stunning 2.113, the highest among all 12 contesting teams. Later, as Australia clashed with Afghanistan, the hosts, who batted first, needed to score at least 185 to keep NZ waiting for a semi-final berth.
Of course, Australia needed a win themselves to keep themselves alive – which they eventually did by 4 runs surviving an Afghanistan scare, but since they ended their innings on 168, the Aussies fell just a little behind and will now have to wait for the outcome of the England vs Sri Lanka match on Saturday to know their fate. Australia's win has also ensured that Sri Lanka are knocked out as another win will at max, take them to six points, while Australia are already on 7. Following Australia's in over Afghanistan, here is how the Group 2 Points Table stands. With 7 points, New Zealand are on top, followed by Australia, also on 7 points. England are placed third with 5 points, while Sri Lanka have 4 points.
Sri Lanka, the reigning Asia Cup champions who qualified for the Super 12s. however, will try to spoil the part for England as a win for them will knock Jos Buttler's team out as well and ensure Australia and New Zealand as the two semi-finalists from Group 1. In either case, the either England aur Australia – the two reigning champions – will not play the knockouts.
Things stand equally interesting in the other group as well. Unlike Group 1, there is yet to be a semi-finalist decided from Group 2, despite strong performances by India and South Africa. Pakistan's win over South Africa on Thursday has kept their semifinal hopes alive, albeit by only a thread, as they now need the Proteas to defeat the Netherlands and Zimbabwe to upset India. Even if one result goes their way and the other does not, Pakistan's chances will take a dent
Here's how. Currently with 6 points, India are at the top of the points table in Group 2 while South Africa are second with 5 points, followed by Pakistan at 3 with four points. Even if Pakistan defeat Bangladesh, they will take their tally to 6 points, while a win for SA will give them 7 points. Even if the SA-Netherlands game is washed out, South Africa will get to 6 points and since their run-rate is better than Pakistan, they will go through. The India vs Zimbabwe game holds plenty of significance though, because if Pakistan defeat Bangladesh and Rohit Sharma's team endure a defeat, Pakistan will be through on the basis of a superior net run-rate. The equation with South Africa remains the same.
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