T20 World Cup: semi-final spots on edge after Afghanistan defeat Australia

ISLAMABAD: The T20 World Cup 2024 in America and the West Indies has entered its final stages, with only a few matches of the Super Eight stage remaining. Eight teams from two groups are competing for a spot in the semi-finals, but only four will advance.

This year’s T20 World Cup has seen major upsets, with teams like New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka exiting the tournament early. Meanwhile, the USA and Afghanistan have surprised everyone by qualifying for the Super Eight.

Afghanistan’s historic win against Australia has created a complex scenario in the Super Eight stage, making the path to the semi-finals uncertain. India, Afghanistan, Australia, and Bangladesh are in Group One, while England, South Africa, the USA, and the West Indies are in Group Two.

Group One Situation

In Group One, India leads the points table with four points after winning two matches. Australia and Afghanistan have each won one of their two matches, while Bangladesh has lost both. Australia’s next match is against India. If Australia loses, their T20 World Cup journey could end. If Australia loses to India and Afghanistan defeats Bangladesh, Afghanistan will join India in the semi-finals, eliminating Australia.

For India, a win against Australia would secure their semi-final spot, but a loss could create complications, especially if the margin of defeat is significant. India’s net run rate is a strong +2.425.

Afghanistan must win against Bangladesh to qualify for the semi-finals. Even if Afghanistan loses narrowly, they could still advance if India defeats Australia by a large margin. Bangladesh’s path to the semi-finals is more complicated, as they need to win their next match against Afghanistan by a large margin and hope India defeats Australia decisively.

Group Two Situation

In Group Two, South Africa leads with four points, followed by the West Indies with two points and a better run rate. England is third with two points, and the USA is fourth with zero points.

South Africa’s next match is against the West Indies. A win would secure their semi-final spot, but a loss could complicate their chances. If the West Indies beat South Africa, they will advance to the semi-finals. If the West Indies lose, they must maintain a good net run rate and hope the USA defeats England.

England must win their match against the USA to reach the semi-finals. If England wins and the West Indies also win against South Africa, the final decision will come down to net run rate. The USA’s chances of reaching the semi-finals are slim. They need to beat England and hope South Africa defeats the West Indies by a large margin to improve their net run rate above England’s and the West Indies’.