Afghanistan’s win over England at the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore on Wednesday has kept the Hashmatullah Shahidi-led side in contention for a semi-final spot from Group B, alongside Australia and South Africa.
While India and New Zealand have already secured their places in the semi-finals from Group A, the race for the final-four spot in Group B is set to go down to the wire.
In a must-win contest for both teams, Afghanistan edged out England by eight runs in Lahore. The result officially eliminates Jos Buttler and his team from semi-final contention. However, Afghanistan has yet to confirm its place in the final four. They will now compete with Australia and South Africa—who split points after a washout on Tuesday—for a spot in the knockouts.
We take a look at how each team can secure a semi-final spot.
Afghanistan
Despite their victory against England, Afghanistan remains third in Group B, trailing Australia and South Africa by one point. The Shahidi-led side faces a virtual quarter-final against Australia on Friday in Lahore. A win will guarantee them a place in the semi-finals.
Australia
A victory will confirm Australia’s qualification for the semi-finals. However, since they hold a one-point advantage over Afghanistan, Steve Smith and his team will advance even if the match is washed out, as was the case in their previous fixture against South Africa.
South Africa
A win against England in their final group-stage match will be enough for the Proteas to secure a semi-final spot.
South Africa can also progress if they lose to England, provided Australia defeats Afghanistan. However, if England wins their final game and Afghanistan beats Australia, the Proteas will face a tight Net Run Rate (NRR) battle with Australia, depending on the final match outcomes.
