England end backside of the ladder and Afghanistan make the World Cup finals.
If somebody was to jot down a script for the ICC World Cup, you would not anticipate that to be a possible situation forward of the ultimate six matches. However that is the truth.
The defending champions at present sit final on the ladder with two video games in hand whereas Afghanistan are sixth however nonetheless in with a sniff.
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Australia’s finals hopes are secured however whoever finishes fourth might throw up a problem as to who performs within the remaining.
The remaining video games from the World Cup are England v Netherlands on Wednesday evening, New Zealand v Sri Lanka on Thursday adopted by Afghanistan v South Africa, Australia v Bangladesh, England v Pakistan and India v Netherlands on Sunday to spherical off the opening phases.
Who can nonetheless make it?
India, South Africa and Australia are all locked within the high 4 and their finals video games are sorted too.
The host nation are first on 16 factors whereas the Proteas and Aussies are each on 12. Australia might leapfrog South Africa into second in the event that they defeat Bangladesh and Afghanistan spring an upset however both means they will play one another within the semi-final.
New Zealand are at present fourth, equal with Pakistan and Afghanistan, which means all three sides are nonetheless in rivalry.
The Black Caps’ internet run price of 0.398 is the strongest of the three.
Which matches resolve who goes by?
When New Zealand performs towards Sri Lanka on Thursday, the finals sequence might change into a positive factor there after which.
A win over the Lankans needs to be sufficient as a result of Pakistan would wish a large victory over England to have any hope of constructing it by.
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Afghanistan’s appalling -0.338 internet run price is working towards them they usually’ll must win towards South Africa and hope New Zealand and Pakistan lose.
Coach Jonathan Trott described his facet’s agonising loss to Australia after Glenn Maxwell’s double century as a “bitter capsule to swallow” however is totally centered on defeating the Proteas.
“The blokes have been resilient, we misplaced the New Zealand recreation fairly closely and we got here again and received the subsequent recreation. We misplaced the India recreation fairly closely, we got here again and beat England so there’s proof of us coming again,” he mentioned.
“This will probably be a tough one to swallow, the nice factor in a means is we play fairly quickly, we journey, observe after which play, it is solely two days in between video games for us so there is not any time to mope round, we have to choose ourselves up and study from the expertise.
“… It is a bitter capsule to swallow, it might be very nice to be sitting right here with 10 factors however hopefully that is after the South Africa recreation.”
Who finishes on the underside?
England have two video games remaining they usually could possibly be the most important of their match.
Having come into the World Cup as title holders, they have been embarrassing and sit outright 10th with solely two factors.
The Netherlands are forward of them by two factors but in addition have the superior internet run price of -1.398 in comparison with England’s -1.504.
Wednesday evening’s conflict between the 2 sides is important.
England fielding coach Carl Hopkinson was adamant the sport is not a useless rubber with spots within the Champions Trophy nonetheless up for grabs as the highest eight from the World Cup qualify.
“I do not suppose there’s ever a useless rubber once you play for England … I believe the lads are utterly up for it, we have two video games that we have to win to qualify for the Champions Trophy so I believe that is there for everyone to see,” he mentioned.
The England assistant went on to clarify the facet’s poor exhibiting has been all the way down to an incapacity to capitalise in key moments.
“Cricket is usually a recreation about executing beneath stress, all people is aware of that and I believe this group has been well-known for doing that basically, very well,” he mentioned.
“It is an extremely skilful group and proficient group however in key moments in sure conditions we have not executed beneath stress like we usually do.”
Netherlands assistant coach Ryan van Niekerk downplayed England’s vulnerability forward of his facet’s probability of staying within the hunt for the Champions Trophy.
“England are world champions so I believe they’d do what’s obligatory, they’ve ready simply as a lot,” he mentioned.
“In South Africa the place I am from there is a well-known saying of ‘by no means underestimate a wounded buffalo’ so I believe we sit able that England’s among the finest groups on this planet and regardless of how they’re enjoying they’ll produce unimaginable performances at any second so that is what we’re getting ready for, one of the best England doable.”
The Netherlands’ remaining recreation towards India will probably be very robust to win however England will even have a difficult fixture towards Pakistan.
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are additionally on 4 factors however have higher internet run charges.
How do the knockout phases work?
The primary positioned group, India, will play whoever finishes fourth out of New Zealand, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
As second and third positioned sides, Australia and New Zealand will even face off.
The winner of each semi-finals will play within the World Cup remaining whereas the losers are knocked out.
The primary semi will probably be performed on November 15 adopted by the opposite fixture the subsequent day.
Ahmedabad will host the ultimate on November 19.
