Cricket World Cup 2019: What happens to Pakistan if England beat New Zealand?

BIRMINGHAM, Jul 3, 2019, India Today. India beat Bangladesh by 28 runs at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Tuesday to get their ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 campaign back on track. Virat Kohli’s men became the 2nd team after Australia to seal a spot in the semi-finals, reported the India Today.

With the Birmingham win, India also ended Bangladesh’s hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals.

As of July 2, only 2 semi-final spots are up for grabs and five matches are remaining in the group stages of World Cup 2019.

Only 2 of them can influence the semi-final line-up and the remaining are dead rubbers. Hosts’ England’s clash vs New Zealand on Wednesday, July 3 in Chester-le-Street and Pakistan’s big-ticket match against Asian rivals Bangladesh in Lord’s on July 5 are the ones that matter.

Pakistan fans, who were disappointed with India’s loss to England on Sunday, will be watching Wednesday’s match between New Zealand and England keenly.

Here’s how the World Cup 2019 semi-final qualification scenarios look like as of July 2 (after India’s big win over Bangladesh in Birmingham)

Australia: Qualifed

India: Qualified

New Zealand

Matches to play: England on July 3

New Zealand are currently sitting on the 3rd spot of the 10-team points table with 11 points from 8 matches. They have a positive net run rate of +0.572.

A win over England on Wednesday will help them seal their place in the semi-finals. However, a defeat will make things interesting.

If England beat New Zealand, the hosts will make the last four. If New Zealand lose badly (by more than 200 runs) and Pakistan beat Bangladesh by a big margin, then Sarfaraz Ahmed’s men can pip the Black Caps into the semi-finals.

England

Matches to play: New Zealand on July 3

England are sitting on the 4th spot with 10 points from 8 matches. A win over New Zealand will help them seal their place in the semi-finals.

England can qualify even if they don’t beat New Zealnad on Wednesday but for that to happen they will have to hope Bangladesh beat Pakistan at Lord’s on Friday.

Pakistan

Matches to play: Bangladesh on July 5

Pakistan will be hoping New Zealand beat England on Tuesday. If that happens, all Pakistan need to do is beat Bangladesh and make the semi-finals.

However, if England beat New Zealand on Wednesday, their chances take a massive hit.

For Pakistan to qualify even after an England win, New Zealand need to lose by a huge margin on Wednesday and Pakistan need to beat Bangladesh by as big a margin.

Keep in mind, Pakistan’s net run rate is -0.792, well below New Zealand’s.

Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and South Africa have lost out on semi-final chances.