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Top four contenders for semis in World Cup 2023
So far, 8 games have been played in the 2023 World Cup. There have been a couple of surprising results with few teams punching above their weight. The pitches barring a couple of them have been great for batting. There have been plenty of records already with new ones being created every single game. A few teams have lived up to the reputation of being the favourites while a few have disappointed. Let us look at details on the Top four contenders for semis in World Cup 2023.
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We look at the chances of every team making it to the top four:
# Netherlands and Afghanistan
The odds were stacked against these two sides. But clearly, both the nations have put up a disappointing show so far. The bridge between them and the rest of the pack seems wide. Afghanistan in particular put a sub-par show against Bangladesh. Netherlands on the other hand fought spiritedly against Pakistan but came well short against Netherlands. The chances for both these teams making the semis look extremely bleak.
# Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
There is little to fault regarding the intention of the Sri Lankan team. They have fought gamely in both their matches so far. But a weakened bowling lineup has had no answers to good batters. This has resulted in them losing both their games. Bangladesh did well against Afghanistan but was a distant second to England. The gulf between them and the top sides seems evident on true surfaces. It is highly unlikely that these two Asian nations will make it to the last four.
# Australia and Pakistan
Both the teams at the onset were outright favourites for the title. But just a week into the World Cup, the narrative has just altered a bit. Australia’s fragile spin options were exposed against India. Their batting order is explosive and their new-ball attack plus Adam Zampa are quite a combination. But there is very little outside this core. Australia unless they switch on the beast World Cup mode, might struggle in this edition.
Pakistan hasn’t played their best cricket yet, but they have managed to win both their games. It is for this reason that they are considered to be unpredictable. But much like Australia, their spin strength looks thin. They must play out of their skins to make it to the top 4.
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# England
England clearly had an off day in the World Cup opener against New Zealand. They bounced back in style against Bangladesh. If wickets remain flat then there are very few teams who could match them. Their ultra-aggressive approach might not come off at all times. They clearly need Ben Stokes in the playing XI to add the champion zing to the side.
# India
Tournament hosts, India, have played just a solitary game so far. They showed huge depth in resources and found players who stepped up to the occasion. The side is rich in experience but misses out on a dynamic batting X-factor, especially in the middle and the lower order.
# South Africa
They showed what a dangerous batting lineup can do on their day. South Africa made merry at the Kotla punishing hapless Lankan bowlers. They have a lot of pace bowling options. South Africa can employ both Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi depending on the conditions. Their big game temperament will come under the scanner at the business end of the tournament.
# New Zealand
They have clearly been the team of the tournament so far. New Zealand has notched convincing wins in both of their games. They seem to be one side that has all the bases covered so far. There is little surprise that they top the table at the end of 8 games. Expect New Zealand to book an early berth in the top four.
