England are at the bottom of the Cricket World Cup after five losses in six matches, but can still mathematically make it to the semi-finals against India; Be sure to watch their match against Australia on Saturday from 8am onwards on Sky Sports Cricket (8.30pm start).
19:55, UK, Sunday 29 October 2023
England’s Cricket World Cup hopes hang in the balance as they face a nightmare in defending their title in India, although there is still a mathematical possibility they will go ahead and make a late bid for the semi-finals.
The 2019 champions have lost five of their opening six matches – their latest being a 100-run defeat to tournament hosts India – and are bottom of the 10-team table with two points, with only the top four teams advancing from the group stage. .
England were also defeated in their group opener by New Zealand, the same two teams that had appeared in the final four years earlier, with a solitary win over Bangladesh and a crushing 69-run defeat against Afghanistan before that.
Chris Woakes admitted there is a lack of confidence in the England dressing room after their crushing defeat to India in the Cricket World Cup.
What followed was a disappointing 229-run defeat to South Africa, a record ODI loss to England, a resounding eight-wicket loss to Sri Lanka and a massive defeat against India to continue their forgettable campaign.
How can England still qualify?!
The round-robin format gives England three more matches to accumulate points and move up the table, with a win taking them to eight points and an outside chance of reaching the knockout stage – depending on How other teams perform.
There is a strong possibility that the net run-rate could determine the final qualification places, which is calculated by using the average runs per over scored by a team and then subtracting the average runs per over scored against them .
Ian Ward and Eoin Morgan look at England’s defeat to India in the Cricket World Cup.
That metric is used when teams are level on points at the end of the group stage, with the team with the best net run-rate qualifying in that scenario, with England (-1.652) in desperate need of improvement. Because it is the worst among all 10 teams.
What will happen before England play?
Afghanistan and Sri Lanka will face each other on Monday, with the winner taking six points from six matches, while Bangladesh’s defeat against Pakistan on Tuesday will make them the first team to have their semi-final hopes mathematically ended.
Bangladesh are currently in a similar position to England with two points from six matches, so to have any chance of reaching the semi-finals, they will have to win all three remaining matches and hope that multiple scenarios work in their favour.
England’s winning streak continues and it has suffered a crushing defeat from India.
Pakistan’s win will take them to six points, while South Africa (10 points) have a chance to topple India and top the table when they play third-placed New Zealand (eight points) on Wednesday.
India are almost certain to reach the semi-finals but a win over Sri Lanka on Thursday will mathematically guarantee them a place in the last four, while the Netherlands will have to maintain their shock win over Bangladesh when they take on Afghanistan. Friday.
So what are England’s chances?
England take on arch-rivals Australia on Saturday, having won their last four matches and scoring 367 runs or more while batting first in their last three fixtures, falling short of a win to keep their modest qualification hopes alive. is also not necessary.
Former England captain Eoin Morgan says England players will be ‘damaged’ by their World Cup campaign.
A win would take England to four points and give them an outside chance of qualification in matches against the Netherlands on November 8 and Pakistan on November 11, although Buttler’s side still need a dramatic improvement on their current net run rate of -1.652. Will happen.
Even if England get back to winning ways, they will have to lose all three of their remaining matches to both Australia and New Zealand to make the final semi-finals.
Australia and New Zealand both have eight points each, which is England’s highest tally, so a win for both teams is enough to officially end any hopes of the defending champions.
Highlights of Australia’s stunning five-run win over New Zealand in the Cricket World Cup in Dharamsala.
If the unthinkable happens and both teams lose all their remaining matches, here’s only one scenario where England could still – through some cricketing miracle – make a dent in the net run rate mathematically…
Correct as of October 29, assuming India and South Africa are the two teams to reach the semi-finals and England have significantly improved their net run rate with three big wins:
- Sri Lanka – beat Afghanistan, lost to India, beat Bangladesh, beat New Zealand – 10 points
- England – beat Australia, beat Netherlands, beat Pakistan – eight points
- New Zealand – Defeat South Africa, defeat Pakistan, defeat Sri Lanka – eight points
- Australia – lost to England, lost to Afghanistan, lost to Bangladesh – eight points
- Pakistan – lost to Bangladesh, beat New Zealand, lost to England – six points
- Bangladesh – beat Pakistan, lost to Sri Lanka, beat Australia – six points
- Afghanistan – lost to Sri Lanka, lost to Netherlands, defeated Australia, lost to South Africa – six points
- Netherlands – beat Afghanistan, lost to England, lost to India – six points
Unimaginable? Yes. Far-fetched? Yes. Miraculous? Yes. Down-right impossible? almost certainly. But at present it is almost mathematically possible.
What’s at stake if they don’t qualify?
It has been revealed that places in the 2025 Champions Trophy will be allocated based on performance in the competition, with hosts Pakistan joining the seven highest finishers, meaning England will need to improve their position in their final three matches. Is.
England head coach Matthew Mott admitted he was not aware of the qualification process until the defeat against India, telling reporters after that defeat: “The ICC changes the rules a lot with qualification but honestly. Frankly, I don’t think it will affect the way we have played in this tournament in any way, so it’s not a big deal.
“That’s a lot of motivation for us to pick ourselves back up off the canvas and keep trying to land punches. It gives us a lot of focus that we need to make sure we can’t just ‘come up.’ We have to win this game.”
What will happen next?
Monday’s game can be seen in the Cricket World Cup Afghanistan faces Sri Lanka in Pune, Both sides have four points (two wins, three losses) from five matches and Sri Lanka is ahead of Afghanistan on net run-rate. England’s next match will be against Australia on Saturday Must-win match (8am, kick-off 8.30pm on Sky Sports Cricket).
Watch every Cricket World Cup match live on Sky Sports from now till the final on Sunday 19 November – Or stream without contract through Now.
