After the completion of Super 12 phase, the spots of the four semi-finalists in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022 have now been fixed. While New Zealand and England had already fixed their places in the semi-finals, the remaining two spots were confirmed after a triple header on Sunday.
The triple-header began with a big upset where the Netherlands defeated South Africa in Adelaide, propelling India to reach the semis and allowing both Pakistan and Bangladesh to fight for the remaining place.
In the contest between Pakistan and Bangladesh, the Men in Green defeated the Tigers by five wickets, chasing down a total of 128, with Mohammad Haris (31) and Shan Masood (24 not out) scoring crucial knocks to get their team over the finish line. Earlier, Shaheen Afridi took four wickets to restrict Bangladesh to a modest total despite Najmul Hossain Shanto smashing a half-century.
While India had already booked their place in the semis after South Africa’s loss, they still had a chance to top Group 2, which they did by defeating Zimbabwe in the last Super 12 fixture.
The Men in Blue posted a massive total of 186/5 on the board, with KL Rahul (51) and Suryakumar Yadav (61 not out) slamming respective half-centuries. In reply, Zimbabwe were bundled out for 115 in 17.2 overs, losing the contest by 71 runs.
After the completion of the Super 12 stage, the fixtures of the semi-finals have been fixed, with New Zealand facing Pakistan in the first semi-final at Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday (November 9). India will take on England at Adelaide Oval on Thursday (November 10) in the second semi-final.
Semi-final fixtures:
- First semi-final: New Zealand versus Pakistan – November 9 – SCG, Sydney
- Second semi-final: India versus England – November 10 – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide