New Delhi: ICC World Cup 2023, league stages are about to finish with only 8 more matches still to go, and only two teams, the hosts India and South Africa, have been able to punch their tickets in the final four.
Two places are mathematically up for grabs for 6 teams, but realistically, the actual race is only for the 4th spot, with 3 teams having realistic chances for finishing in the top 4, i.e., New Zealand, Pakistan and Afghanistan for the number 4 spot.
Amidst all the chaos, the host India is in a league of their own as they have now won 8 out of 8 games after beating the Proteas on Sunday and confirming their top spot finish and semifinal date of November 15.
India will now just have to sit back and wait to know who their opponents are going to be in the semifinals, before playing their last league match against Netherlands on Sunday, on Diwali eve.
Check out the complete points table of ICC World Cup 2023, till November 6, below:
| Rank | Teams | M | W | L | N/R | Points | Net RR |
| 1 | India (Q) | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 16 | +2.45 |
| 2 | South Africa (Q) | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 12 | +1.37 |
| 3 | Australia | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 10 | +0.92 |
| 4 | New Zealand | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | +0.39 |
| 5 | Pakistan | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | -0.03 |
| 6 | Afghanistan | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 6 | -0.33 |
| 7 | Sri Lanka | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 | -1.16 |
| 8 | Netherland | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 | -1.39 |
| 9 | Bangladesh (E) | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 2 | -1.44 |
| 10 | England (E) | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 2 | -1.50 |
The semifinalists
Out of 4 spots for the semifinals, two have already been booked by the hosts, India and South Africa, respectively.
Out of the left two spots, Australia is the favourite to grab one, while the fight for the final spot will be intense in the upcoming matches.
On the top spot of the points table is the host team, India, who have confirmed this position with an easy one-sided win over the Proteas and extended their unbeaten run in the World Cup 2023, to 8 matches. They are yet to play one more match against the Netherlands on Sunday, but it will be going to a dead rubber match.
Virat Kohli 101(120)* vs South Africa CWC 2023 ( Ball by Ball highlights)#ViratKohli #HappyBirthdayKingKohli #INDvsSA pic.twitter.com/yB2XKCPYq7
— Kohlisexual 🇮🇳 (@Kohlisexual0511) November 6, 2023
The second spot is booked by the South African team with 12 points in 8 matches, and unless they lose their final match against Afghanistan, they will remain second by the end of the league stages.
Siraj to Decock : Wah QDK bhai suna tha ki bhut century mar rahe ho😁#IndianCricket #IndvsSA #INDvBAN #INDvSA Player of the match God of cricket
Indian bowlers
Indian bowling Jaddu jay Shah Virat Kohli Ponting pic.twitter.com/4hfEg7dQjC— Sumit Arora (@kingsumitarora) November 5, 2023
No one thought this day would come when the five-time Champions Australia started their campaign with two back-to-back losses, but after 30 more matches, the Aussies are sitting at the third spot with 10 points in 7 matches and can even jump to the second if they win their remaining two and South Africa drops points in their last match against Afghanistan.
Star Sports promo for Australia vs England World Cup match 🔥
The Oldest Cricketing Rivalry…!!!pic.twitter.com/3FRdh9bjme
— 🅒🅡🅘︎🅒︎🄲🅁🄰🅉🅈𝗠𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗨™ 🇮🇳❤️ (@MSDianMrigu) November 3, 2023
Fourth spot conundrum
The fourth spot of the points table is the most unstable position in the points table. Currently, New Zealand is holding the spot due to a superior net run rate advantage over Pakistan and Afghanistan, but a loss in their final game against Sri Lanka could prove fatal for them, and they would like to avoid that situation by winning against the Lankan Lions and hope Pakistan lose their last game or even if they win they win by less than 130 runs margin.
Pakistan, who are in the fifth spot, need to win their last game by 130+ runs to qualify if New Zealand manages to get the ‘W’ against Sri Lanka. If not, a win would be sufficient for them to win.
In the sixth spot, Afghanistan can directly qualify if they win all their remaining matches directly, or if they manage to secure victory in just one game, then Pakistan and New Zealand to lose their last match to qualify for the semifinals.
