India’s Path to Semifinals Clash with New Zealand Unveiled

Hosts India have already secured their spot in the 2023 World Cup semi-finals with an impressive winning streak. The Men in Blue secured their place in the semis by defeating Sri Lanka and South Africa, maintaining their unbeaten run. South Africa, on the other hand, secured the second place in the points table with 12 points, making them the second team to qualify for the semi-finals.

Australia recently became the third team to secure a spot in the top four by defeating Afghanistan. Now, the race for the fourth spot is between New Zealand, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, with Netherlands having only a slim mathematical chance. India has already secured the top spot in the points table.

In the event that New Zealand clinches the fourth semi-finals spot, we could see a rematch of the 2019 semi-final between India and New Zealand. Even if South Africa and Australia win their remaining league games, India will finish on top with 16 points. The first semi-final, scheduled for November 15, will see the top-ranked team facing the fourth-ranked team.

For New Zealand to qualify for the knockout stage, they will need to finish above Pakistan and Afghanistan on the points table at the end of the league stage. Currently, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Afghanistan each have eight points after eight matches. However, New Zealand has the best net run rate among the three teams (+0.398). If New Zealand wins their last league game against Sri Lanka, they will reach 10 points and have a strong chance of making it to the semi-finals, given their superior net run rate.

If New Zealand loses to Sri Lanka, they will need Pakistan and Afghanistan to lose their matches as well. In this scenario, New Zealand still stands a strong chance of claiming the No. 4 spot due to their superior net run rate.

The possibility of India facing New Zealand in the semi-finals adds an exciting dimension to the ongoing World Cup, especially for fans who remember the intense semi-final clash between the two teams in 2019. It remains to be seen which team secures that coveted fourth spot and gets a chance to face India in the semi-finals.

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