Who will India face in the semi-final of World Cup 2023?

The ICC 2023 World Cup is in its final week, with an unbeaten India, South Africa, and most recently Australia securing their spots at the semi-final stages, intensifying the race for the fourth slot.

What

• Australia became the latest team to secure their place in the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 after a remarkable performance against Afghanistan, resulting in a three-wicket win on Tuesday.

• Glenn Maxwell's historic innings played a crucial role in this victory.

• With this, Australia becomes the third team to secure a place in the semi-finals, joining the undefeated hosts India and South Africa.

• Three teams, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, are competing for the last semi-final spot.

• They must secure victories in their upcoming league matches and excel in the net run rate (NRR) battle to advance. A loss in the final league match would put any of these teams at a disadvantage in the race.

• Defending champions England have been eliminated from the tournament, finishing last due to a string of losses.

• Bangladesh, marred by controversies, has also lost the hope of reaching the knockout stage of the tournament.

Who will India face in the semis?

New Zealand  

Current Position - Fourth

• In the current three-way contest between Pakistan, Afghanistan and New Zealand, the Kiwis have an advantage in net run rate. 
• To secure a spot in the next round, they need to win their last match against Sri Lanka. 
• Even if they lose, they can still advance as long as their net run rate remains decent. 
• For this to work, Pakistan and Afghanistan should not win by a large margin in their last matches, allowing New Zealand to progress based on net run rate.

Pakistan

Current Position - Fifth

• Babar Azam-led Pakistan must rely on New Zealand losing to Sri Lanka in their final match. 
• If this doesn't happen, Pakistan will need to record a substantial margin of victory in their last game against England. 
• A loss against England will more or less ensure Pakistan’s elimination from the tournament. 
• The only exception is if both New Zealand and Afghanistan lose their last matches, with New Zealand losing by a significant margin.

Afghanistan 

Current Position - Sixth 

• Out of the three teams with eight points each, Afghanistan has the lowest net run rate as they head into their last group-stage match against South Africa. 
• Afghanistan can only qualify if both New Zealand and Pakistan lose their last games.
• Or, Afghanistan needs to beat South Africa by a big margin and then hope for a net run rate battle.
• But if Afghanistan loses their upcoming match against South Africa, they're out of the tournament.

Netherlands

Current Position - Ninth

• The Netherlands, known for causing upsets in this World Cup against South Africa and Bangladesh, now face an uphill battle for the semifinals. 
• With five losses and only four points, their net run rate (NRR) is in dire straits, even worse than Afghanistan's.

• To secure a chance, they must convincingly defeat England and India. Additionally, they rely on New Zealand, Pakistan, and Afghanistan losing their final matches.

As the group-stage matches reach their climax, India awaits the name of their potential opponent in the World Cup semi-final, scheduled to take place on November 15, 2023, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

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