World Cup 2023: After Australia defeats Afghanistan, will India and Pakistan clash in the semi-finals? Know here!

PC: dnaindia

Australia has become the third team after India and South Africa to qualify for the semi-finals of the ongoing ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023. Australian star batsman Glenn Maxwell's 201 not-out helped his team win the World Cup match against Afghanistan by three wickets. 

Australia won 6 out of eight matches, taking their total points to 12. India (16 points) and South Africa (12 points) have already qualified for the semi-finals. Australia is third in the points table, only behind South Africa due to a lower net run rate. India is on top with eight wins in the same number of matches.

India has 16 points with eight wins from eight matches. Therefore Team India will remain number 1. The Rohit Sharma-led team has to play its last match against the Netherlands on November 12. South Africa still has one match left against Afghanistan on Friday and if this team wins it then the second place will be almost assured.

Afghanistan is level with New Zealand and Pakistan with eight points after eight matches but lags behind in net run rate. Three teams – Pakistan, New Zealand, and Afghanistan – are primarily in the race to become the last team to qualify for the semi-finals.

How is the India-Pakistan semi-final clash possible?

New Zealand will play its ninth match of the tournament against Sri Lanka on November 9 and Pakistan will face England on November 11. With Pakistan's win and Kiwi's loss, the Babar Azam-led team will get 10 points.

If New Zealand wins its last league match, then Pakistan will have to defeat England by a big margin, only then it will be able to overtake New Zealand in net run rate and reach above them in the points table. At the same time, if the New Zealand team loses to Sri Lanka then the task will become a little easier for Pakistan. New Zealand will be stuck on only 8 points and Pakistan will have 10 points.

If the NZ vs SL match is canceled, they will retain eight points, and their fate will depend on the outcome of the match between Pakistan and England in Kolkata. If Pakistan wins and Afghanistan loses its remaining matches against South Africa, Pakistan will qualify for the semi-finals. Then India and Pakistan will clash in the semi-finals.