WC 2023: How many wins does India need to secure a place in the semi-finals, know here!
PC: Hindustan Times
India continued their unbeaten run in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 with a crucial four-wicket win over New Zealand at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala. With this win, India now tops the tournament points table and has 10 points, making them the only team to reach this mark. New Zealand is currently in second place with 8 points, while South Africa is in third place with 6 points. The Men in Blue have dominated the competition as the only undefeated team.
Road to the semi-finals: Talking about the 2019 edition of the World Cup, New Zealand made it to the semi-finals by earning 11 points with five wins, which included one match which was abandoned due to rain. Net run rate played a key role in Pakistan's elimination, which had the same points. However, with fewer games affected by the weather this time, it is unlikely that such a scenario will be repeated. As a result, it is reasonable to assume that a team will need to achieve 6 wins to strengthen its chances of qualifying for the semi-finals.
India's target: India currently needs just one more win to secure their place in the knockout stage. Given their impressive performance in the tournament, this will essentially seal their place in the semi-finals.
Highlights of the match: In the recent match against New Zealand, India won the toss and decided to bowl first. New Zealand posted a competitive score of 273 runs mainly thanks to a remarkable 159-run partnership for the third wicket between Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra. Mitchell scored a century, while Ravindra contributed 75 runs. India's bowlers made a remarkable comeback, especially Mohammed Shami, who took five wickets. Kuldeep Yadav also made a significant impact and took two important wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah took one wicket.
In reply, Virat Kohli played a vital role by playing a brilliant inning of 95 runs and led India to a spectacular win despite some tense moments during the chase. Ravindra Jadeja provided solid support with an unbeaten 39 and their 78-run partnership was crucial in India's victory.
Upcoming Match: India's journey in the tournament continues as they face England on October 29 in Lucknow. After this, they will travel to Mumbai to face Sri Lanka on November 2. Their campaign will begin with a match against South Africa in Kolkata on November 5, and conclude with a game against the Netherlands in Bengaluru on November 12.