Lahore: Afghanistan's victory over England at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Wednesday has positioned the team, led by Hasmatullah Shahidi, in the race for a semi-final berth from Group B, alongside Australia and South Africa.
While India and New Zealand have already secured their places in the semi-finals from Group A, the battle for the final four in Group B is expected to be intense and closely contested.
In a crucial match for both sides, Afghanistan triumphed over England by a narrow margin of eight runs. This outcome has eliminated Jos Buttler and his team from semi-final contention.
However, Afghanistan has not yet guaranteed their advancement to the semi-finals. They will be vying for a spot alongside Australia and South Africa, who shared points following a rainout on Tuesday, as they make their final push for the knockout stage.
Here’s an overview of how each of the three teams can secure a semi-final position:
Afghanistan:
Following their win against England, Afghanistan currently occupies third place in Group B, trailing Australia and South Africa by a single point. The team, under the leadership of Hashmatullah Shahidi, faces a pivotal match against Australia on Friday in Lahore, which serves as a de facto quarter-final. A victory for Afghanistan will ensure their progression to the semi-finals.
Australia:
A victory would secure Australia's place in the semi-finals, but their current point advantage over Afghanistan ensures that Steve Smith and his team will advance even if their match is canceled due to rain, similar to their previous encounter with South Africa.
For South Africa:
The Proteas need to win their last group-stage match against England to guarantee their progression. They can still advance even with a loss to England, provided Australia defeats Afghanistan. However, if England wins and Afghanistan triumphs over Australia, South Africa will find themselves in a challenging net run rate situation against the Australians, contingent on the outcomes of their respective matches.
