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Each team's World Cup finals hopes

3 minute read

With a week-and-a-half to go in the World Cup seven teams still remain in the hunt for the finals with only Australia guaranteed safe passage.

VIRAT KOHLI
VIRAT KOHLI Picture: Henry Browne/Getty Images

HOW THE WORLD CUP CONTENDERS' FINALS HOPES LOOK

AUSTRALIA (12pts, vs New Zealand, South Africa)

The only team guaranteed of a spot in the finals after winning six of their first seven games in the tournament. Their last two matches are now all about building momentum and finishing as high as possible in case of rain in the finals.

INDIA (11pts, vs England, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka)

The only team still undefeated are all but assured of a semi-final spot. Even if they were to lose to both England and Bangladesh, they would need almost every possible result to go against them to miss a finals series they are seemingly destined for.

NEW ZEALAND (11pts vs Australia, England)

Like India, should be safe unless they lose their last two games and a run of results go against them. A win against Australia on Saturday will guarantee them safe passage though, without any concerns headed into the final round.

ENGLAND (8pts vs India, New Zealand)

Suddenly hanging on to keep their hopes alive. Wins in both games will put them through, but a loss in either of them would mean they need Pakistan to lose to one of Afghanistan or Bangladesh. Bangladesh could also make it through in their spot. Two losses, and their tournament is over.

BANGLADESH (7pts vs India, Pakistan)

Will go through if they win one more game than England. Likely need to shock the might of India on Tuesday, potentially making next Friday's clash with Pakistan a knockout tie given the tournament's hosts will have played all of their matches by that point.

PAKISTAN (7pts, vs Afghanistan, Bangladesh)

Have the best run home of the four teams realistically fighting for the last finals spot. They lost to Afghanistan in the warm-ups but have since looked uncharacteristically clinical in the past two matches. Still need England to drop a game to have any hope.

SRI LANKA (6pts vs South Africa, West Indies, India)

Brought the World Cup to life when they upset England last week and remain in the hunt with an extra game to play on the teams above them. Will likely need to win all three of them to qualify for the semi-finals, a far cry from the predicament they entered the tournament in.

* West Indies, South Africa and Afghanistan are all out of contention. All calculations based following India's win over West Indies on Thursday.

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