With seven teams in contention for the three remaining semi-final spots, take a look at the World Cup run home of each nation
What each team needs to reach the semi-finals
1st: Australia (12 points)
Played: 7 | Won: 6 | Lost: 1 | NR: 0 | NRR: 0.906
The run home
June 29: v New Zealand at Lord’s
July 6: v South Africa at Old Trafford
With a semi-final spot already secure, the Australians may well use their final two matches to experiment with their side, although they’ll also be keen to maintain their momentum and earn a high seeding by continuing their winning run. Victory over the Black Caps on Saturday could also result in some handy bragging rights ahead of a possible re-match with their trans-Tasman rivals in the knockout stages.
2nd: New Zealand (11 points)
Played: 6 | Won: 5 | Lost: 0 | NR: 1 | NRR 1.306
The run home
June 26: v Pakistan at Edgbaston
June 29: v Australia at Lord’s
July 3: v England at the Riverside Ground
The unbeaten Black Caps are all but locked in the knockout stage already and can secure their spot with victory tonight over Pakistan, who have it all to play for at Edgbaston and will put themselves in pole position for the semis with a win. After the Pakistan clash, the Kiwis will look to lay down a marker with a win over Australia ahead of a possible re-match in the semi-finals before they finish the group stage with what could be a pivotal clash against England, who might need a win to lock in a semi-final spot.
Australia are already locked in for the semi-finals - who will join them? Here's what the contenders need to do to earn a top-four spot https://t.co/AtfsmN0xWb #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/V73v756zRz— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) June 26, 2019
3rd: India (9 points)
Played: 5 | Won: 4 | Lost: 0 | NR: 1 | NRR 0.809
The run home
June 27: v West Indies at Old Trafford
June 30: v England at Edgbaston
July 2: v Bangladesh at Edgbaston
July 6: v Sri Lanka at Headingley
Having had a scare against Afghanistan, India will be red-hot favourites in three of their remaining four matches and, based on form, would be expected to knock off England at Edgbaston on Sunday as well. Just two more victories will guarantee a semi-final spot for Virat Kohli’s side, but it won’t be easy against teams like England, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka who will be desperate for wins to keep their own finals chances alive.
4th: England (8 points)
Played: 7 | Won: 4 | Lost: 3 | NR: 0 | NRR 1.051
The run home
June 30: v India at Edgbaston
July 3: v New Zealand at the Riverside Ground
After three losses from seven games and two in the space of just four days, the host nation are now in serious danger of missing out on the semi-finals in a tournament many expected them to dominate. And given their two opponents on the run home – New Zealand and India – are both unbeaten and will be desperate to send the world’s top-ranked team packing, the hosts have their two biggest tests to come. Sunday’s clash against India at what is sure to be a heaving Edgbaston looms as one of the games of the tournament so far, but even victory there for England won’t guarantee them a top-four spot. And if results don’t go their way, they’ll have to knock off the Black Caps in Durham to secure a semi-final berth.
5th: Bangladesh (7 points)
Played: 7 | Won: 3 | Lost: 3 | NR: 1 | NRR -0.133
The run home
July 2: v India at Edgbaston
July 5: v Pakistan at Lord’s
The Tigers have been highly impressive over the past month, but their tournament looks set to go on the line against India at Edgbaston on Tuesday. A loss there won’t be fatal to their campaign, but it will make it very difficult for them to reach the semi-finals for the first time. However, an upset win over Virat Kohli’s side could well set-up a winner-takes-all battle against Pakistan at Lord’s on the penultimate day of the group stage, which could well provide the best crowd atmosphere of the tournament.
6th: Sri Lanka (6 points)
Played: 6 | Won: 2 | Lost: 2 | NR: 2 | NRR -1.119
The run home
June 28: v South Africa at the Riverside Ground
July 1: v West Indies at the Riverside Ground
July 6: v India at Headingley
Despite winning just two of their six games so far, the unfancied Sri Lankan side have a golden chance of reaching the final four after their shock win over England last week. Victories over the Windies and South Africa alone could well be enough to secure a semi-final spot, while winning all three of their games will put them in prime position. But their two washed out games might come back to haunt them; the first tiebreaker in the event of two teams being tied on points is games won, meaning even a boost in their Net Run Rate won’t necessarily help Dimuth Karunaratne’s side.
7th: Pakistan (5 points)
Played: 6 | Won: 2 | Lost: 3 | NR: 1 | NRR -1.265
The run home
June 26: v New Zealand at Edgbaston
June 29: v Afghanistan at Headingley
July 5: v Bangladesh at Lord’s
Famously unpredictable, Pakistan are suddenly right back in the hunt for a semi-finals berth with three games still to come, two of which they will be favoured to win. Tonight’s clash against the Kiwis at Edgbaston could be a turning point; a win there for Pakistan will leave them just a point behind England in fourth place with two winnable games to come. Even if the Black Caps continue their unbeaten run tonight, Sarfaraz Ahmed’s side can still reach the knockout stage with winnable games to come against Afghanistan and Bangladesh, although they would need other results to go their way.
8th: West Indies (3 points)
Played: 6 | Won: 1 | Lost: 4 | NR: 1 | NRR 0.19
The run home
June 27: v India at Old Trafford
July 1: v Sri Lanka at the Riverside Ground
July 4: v Afghanistan at Headlingley
A heartbreaking loss to the Kiwis on Saturday will likely be a ‘what if’ moment for the Windies, who are all but out of the race for the top four despite remaining a mathematical chance. Jason Holder’s men will need to win all three of their games on the run home, including against unbeaten India tomorrow night, and have a host of other results go their way to be any chance.
9th: South Africa (3 points)
Played: 7 | Won: 1 | Lost: 5 | NR: 1 | NRR -0.324
The run home
June 28: v Sri Lanka at the Riverside Ground
July 6: v Australia at Old Trafford
A horror campaign for the Proteas is already all over bar the shouting, with a semi-final spot an impossibility after their loss to Pakistan last Sunday.
10th: Afghanistan (0 points)
Played: 7 | Won: 0 | Lost: 7 | NR: 0 | NRR -1.634
The run home
June 29: v Pakistan at Headingley
July 4: v West Indies at Headlingley
Having fallen just short of an almighty upset against India, Afghanistan will be playing for pride on the run home and be eyeing their match against the Windies – who will likely to be out of contention by that stage as well – to register their first win of the tournament.