Analysis, ladder, standings, fixtures, semi-finals, who does Australia play next? video, news

Tuesday evening’s match between South Africa and Bangladesh marked the midpoint of the 2023 World Cup, a tournament that’s yet to produce a close finish.

The one-sided nature of the matches in India hasn’t gone unnoticed, prompting speculation on whether the ten-team format has been a success or not.

Regardless, there’s still plenty of cricket to be played over the coming weeks, and all ten nations technically still have a chance of qualifying for the semi-finals. However, some teams are better positioned than others ahead of the second half of the tournament.

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India

1st: 5-0, +1.353

Remaining Fixtures: England, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Netherlands

It’s been smooth sailing for the host nation thus far.

India is the only undefeated team remaining in the tournament, with their spot in the knockouts all but secure.

Virat Kohli has been near his destructive best with the bat, registering scores of 103* and 95 against Bangladesh and New Zealand respectively, while captain Rohit Sharma has contributed multiple explosive cameos during the Powerplay.

Indian seamer Mohammed Shami was brought back into the starting XI for Sunday’s match in Dharamshala, taking a five-wicket haul against the Black Caps, while opener Shubman Gill has seamlessly returned from his illness scare.

They’re the tournament favourites, and it will take something special to stop them from lifting their third World Cup trophy next month.

South Africa

2nd: 4-1, +2.370

Remaining Fixtures: Pakistan, New Zealand, India, Afghanistan

Despite last week’s shock loss to the Netherlands, South Africa has enjoyed a superb World Cup campaign to date.

The Proteas knocked off powerhouse nations Australia and England with ease, courtesy of some destructive batting from their talented middle order. Meanwhile, wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock started his final World Cup campaign with back-to-back hundreds against Sri Lanka and Australia before cracking another century against Bangladesh.

The South Africans are undeniably missing Anrich Nortje’s added pace, but there’s enough depth in their bowling attack to take them deep into the tournament.

New Zealand

3rd: 4-1, +1.481

Remaining Fixtures: Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

Despite effectively having a 13-player squad, New Zealand is on track to book its spot in the semi-finals for a fifth consecutive World Cup campaign.

Veteran stars Kane Williamson and Tim Southee have been nursing injuries throughout the tournament, while bowler Lockie Ferguson missed the opener against England with a niggle of his own. Yet despite the lack of flexibility at their disposal, the Black Caps are sitting second on the World Cup standings with one loss to their name — against hosts India.

Rachin Ravindra has been a revelation at No. 3, while spinner Mitch Santner is currently the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 12 scalps at 16.91.

The Blacks Caps need to win two of their remaining four matches secure a semi-final berth, net run rate dependant.

Australia

4th: 2-2, -0.193

Remaining Fixtures: Netherlands, New Zealand, England, Afghanistan, Bangladesh

After a slow start to its World Cup campaign, Australia has bounced back with consecutive wins against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa, despite battling injury and illness, has returned to form with back-to-back four-wicket hauls, while David Warner is in ominous form after his record-breaking century in Bengaluru.

However, Australia’s middle order remains a glaring cause for concern — Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell are yet to register a fifty in the campaign.

Regardless, Travis Head will boost the squad’s batting depth when he returns from the wrist injury that kept him sidelined for the first half of the tournament.

The key question will be at who’s expense. Smith or Labuschagne loom as the obvious players to make way.

Pakistan

5th: 2-3, -0.400

Remaining Fixtures: South Africa, Bangladesh, New Zealand, England

It’s all starting to fall apart for Pakistan.

After starting their World Cup campaign with back-to-back wins, the Pakistanis are staring down the barrel of an early exit after suffering a trio of defeats to India, Australia and Afghanistan.

Captain Babar Azam has been far below his best with the bat, while the team’s spinners have hardly troubled their opposition, collectively taking six wickets at 100.33.

The Pakistanis are desperately missing bowler Naseem Shah, while star quick Shaheen Afridi has only offered a glimpse of his excellence with the ball. Meanwhile, the fielding has been … let’s say inconsistent.

Pakistan will need a repeat of their 1992 miracle for any chance of winning a second World Cup title.

Afghanistan

6th: 2-3, -0.969

Remaining Fixtures: Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Australia, South Africa

Afghanistan has suddenly emerged as dark horses to qualify for the semi-finals after clinching surprise wins over England and Pakistan. The Afghans had only managed one World Cup victory before this year’s tournament, over Scotland in 2015.

Young gun Rahmanullah Gurbaz has been in blistering form at the top of the order, registering crucial fifties against England and Pakistan, while superstar spinner Rashid Khan has hardly offered any freebies in the middle overs

However, Afghanistan will need to win all four of their remaining group stage matches to progress through to the knockouts, a mighty tall order considering upcoming fixtures against Australia and South Africa.

Netherlands

7th: 1-3, -0.790

Remaining Fixtures: Australia, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, England, India

The Netherlands have become everyone’s second team over the past fortnight.

The Dutch band of misfits dominated headlines they took down South Africa in Dharamshala last week, also putting up a decent fight against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

Australia-born captain Scott Edwards has been superb with the bat, while each of their bowlers have contributed at different stages throughout the tournament.

The Netherlands are unlikely to qualify for the semi-finals, but with upcoming fixtures against Bangladesh and Afghanistan, they have an opportunity to make this the nation’s most successful World Cup campaign in history.

Sri Lanka

8th: 1-3, -1.048

Remaining Fixtures: England, Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, New Zealand

It’s fair to say Sri Lanka’s World Cup dream is over.

Sri Lanka’s only victory of the tournament has come against fellow qualifiers the Netherlands, and they’ve got a trio of tough matches on the horizon.

Inexperienced bowler Dilshan Madushanka has been absolutely superb throughout the tournament, but the Sri Lankans don’t have much else to celebrate. Captain Dasun Shanaka was ruled out of the campaign with a thigh injury, replaced by Chamika Karunaratne, while Matheesa Pathirana is nursing an injury of his own.

If they don’t topple reigning champions England on Thursday, the Sri Lankans might as well start packing their bags.

England

9th: 1-3, -1.248

Remaining Fixtures: Sri Lanka, India, Australia, Netherlands, Pakistan

Who could have predicted this?

England, the reigning champions who revolutionised white-ball cricket after their disastrous 2015 World Cup campaign, are sitting bottom of the standings at the midpoint of the tournament.

Jos Buttler’s men essentially need to win seven consecutive matches to win a second World Cup title, which considering their recent performances against Afghanistan and South Africa appears to be incredibly unlikely.

All-rounder Ben Stokes came out of ODI retirement for the tournament, but contributed a grand total of five runs in the team’s opening four matches as he battled injury.

Meanwhile, pace bowler Reece Topley, the team’s leading wicket-taker with eight scalps, has returned home with a broken finger, replaced in the squad by the inexperienced Brydon Carse.

Bangladesh

10th: 1-4, -1.253

Remaining Fixtures: Netherlands, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia

Bangladesh’s batters simply haven’t delivered in the World Cup as of yet, and their chances of qualifying for the knockouts are approaching zero.

The Tigers are without reliable opener Tamim Iqbal at the top of the order, while Taskin Ahmed has been out of action with a shoulder injury. The batting line-up has been chopped and changed throughout the tournament, with players shuffling up and down the order without apparent reason.

Thankfully for Bangladesh, their semi-finals dream isn’t over, but almost every result will need to go their way from here on out.

LADDER