Revealed: Who Will Qualify For World Cup Semifinal If NZ vs SL Gets Washed Away Due To Rain?

The race for the semifinal spot in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup is heating up. With Team India, South Africa, and Australia already booking their place in the semifinals, only one place is up for grabs.

As many as three teams are still in contention to make it to the World Cup semifinals. The teams are New Zealand, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. All of them have eight points from eight games and are only separated by Net Run-Rate. New Zealand are currently in the fourth spot while Pakistan and Afghanistan are occupying the fifth and sixth spot respectively.

All three teams can finish with a maximum of ten points. In such a scenario, the net run rate will determine the fourth semifinalist of the ongoing World Cup. None of the three teams can afford any more slip-ups as they look to join India, South Africa, and Australia in the next round.

New Zealand is eyeing its third semifinal in a row while Pakistan is eyeing its first since 2011. Afghanistan, on the other hand, is in contention to qualify for the semifinals for the first time in their history.

What if rain washes away the New Zealand vs Sri Lanka game?

Out of three potential semifinalists, New Zealand will be in action first. The Black Caps looked destined to make it to the semifinals of the 2023 World Cup after making a solid start before their campaign got derailed. They began their campaign with four wins in a row before losing four in a row.

The Kane Williamson-led side will be desperate to get back to winning ways in their final league game. A win in the final league game will all but secure their passage to the next round thanks to their superior net run rate. Things, however, could get tricky for New Zealand as their upcoming game against Sri Lanka on Thursday (November 9) in Bengaluru could be interrupted by rain.

Rain spoiled their chances in the last game too at the same venue when they lost the game against Pakistan by 21 runs (DLS method) despite posting a record total of 401. And rain could come back to haunt them once again. According to weather prediction, there is more than 70 percent chance of rain, with heavy showers likely between 2 PM and 6 PM.

There is a chance that the crucial New Zealand vs Sri Lanka game might get washed out. So how will things change in case of a washout as far as the semifinal race is concerned? Well if the rain is indeed washed out, New Zealand will finish with 9 points. In such a scenario, their fate will depend on Pakistan and Afghanistan’s games.

If any of the two teams win their last league game, New Zealand will be knocked out. If both Pakistan and Afghanistan lose their last game, New Zealand will progress. Additionally, if both Pakistan and Afghanistan win, the former is likely to progress due to a better net run rate.

World Cup 2023 points table