Cricket World Cup: How England can avoid group-stage exit and qualify for the semi-finals in India

By James On Oct 23, 2023

England’s Cricket World Cup hopes are hanging by a thread after a nightmarish start to their title defense in India, although there is still time left to try to make an unlikely late push for the semi-finals.

The 2019 champions have lost three of their first four matches and are two points tied at the bottom of the 10-team table, with only the top four sides progressing beyond the group stage.

England were defeated in their group opener by New Zealand, the same two sides who played in the final four years earlier, before following up a solitary win over Bangladesh with a shock 69-run defeat to Afghanistan.

An embarrassing 229-run defeat to South Africa was England’s ODI record defeat by points and leaves them on the brink of a group stage exit, but there are still enough games for Jos Buttler’s side to make a late bid to be released for the final four.

What should England do?

The round-robin format gives England five more matches to collect points and move up the table, with wins in a manner that would give them the best chance of reaching the knockout stages.

Five wins would take England to twelve points, which is still not enough depending on the performance of other teams in the coming weeks, although there are still mathematical – albeit highly questionable – scenarios in which they could lose again and make it would still just make it. Through.

There is a good chance that the net run rate could determine the final qualifying spots. This is calculated by using the average runs per over scored by a team and then subtracting the average runs per over scored against them.

This metric is used when teams are tied on points at the end of the group stage, with the team having the best net run rate in that scenario and subsequently qualifying.

England need improvement as they are currently at -1,247 after four games and are still worse than any other side by two points, although more than half of the teams have a negative run rate and one big win will significantly change that could bring in. number.

Who has England left to play?

England play Sri Lanka on Thursday, another team languishing on two points, where a win could move them up to sixth place depending on other results in the coming days.

A third successive defeat would likely end any limited hopes of qualification as it would mean they can only earn a maximum of 10 points in the group stages, while Sunday’s match against top players and unbeaten hosts India is likely to provide an even sterner test . .

India may have lost top spot by the time the match takes place, with New Zealand – two points behind and with a better run-rate – facing Australia the previous day, although a sixth successive win would virtually seal their passage to the semi-finals to guarantee. -finals.

Should England still be in the race to qualify after those two games, their November 4 match against Australia – with four points after four matches and having progressed from the group stage in every Cricket World Cup since 1996 – will likely be a must . – win competition.

England play the Netherlands in Pune on November 8, with Buttler’s side hoping not to be eliminated when they complete their group campaign against Pakistan on November 11.

Can England be optimistic?

England have only lost four matches in the same World Cup once, after exiting the Super 8 stage in 2007, although they have lost three matches in five other World Cup campaigns – including two in which they reached the final.

They were defeated three times in 1992, twice in the group stages before losing to Pakistan in the final, while Eoin Morgan’s 2019 side suffered three games before becoming world champions on home soil.

England were defeated by Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia on their way to third place in the group stage, with New Zealand taking the final spot after also losing three round-robin matches, before both teams won their semi-finals to advance go to the final. with Lord.

England’s final win in that year’s iconic Super Over will live long in the memory, although something similarly dramatic will happen in the coming weeks before there is any chance of a title defense.

When can I watch England?

England next take on Sri Lanka in Bangalore on Thursday in a must-win match with coverage live on Sky Sports Cricket from 9:00 am (first ball at 9:30 am). Watch every match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 live on Sky Sports. You can stream the tournament NOW.