New Delhi: Afghanistan pulled off one of the most remarkable victories in the T20 World Cup 2024 on Sunday as they stunned Australia at the Arnos Vale Ground, in Kingstown, St Vincent. Afghanistan rode on brilliant bowling spells from Naveen-ul-Haq and Gulbadin Naib to successfully defend a total of 148 runs to end Australia’s unbeaten run in the tournament and bag their maiden victory against the Aussies in international cricket.
Afghanistan’s unlikely win against Australia also spiced up the race for the semi-finals as it opened up Group 1. Afghanistan’s win means Rohit Sharma-led India have still not qualified for the semis despite winning their first two matches in a row. India defeated Afghanistan by 47 runs in their Super 8 opener before beating Bangladesh by 50 runs on Saturday to sit on top of Group 1 with 4 points and a healthy net run rate of +2.425.
However, India are still not assured of a spot in the top four. They need to beat Australia in their final Super Eight match on Monday or avoid a big defeat to ensure they make it to the semi-finals. It’s currently a three-way race between India, Australia and Afghanistan in Group 1 for two spots in the semi-finals. While India are better placed with 4 points, both Australia and Afghanistan too have strong chances of qualifying.
India need to win by any margin against Australia to gain six points and qualify for the semi-finals as the top team from Group 1. Even if they lose against Australia, a defeat by a low margin will still see them qualify. A no result in the match between India and Australia will also see the Men in Blue go through. However, there is still a rare chance of India getting eliminated if things don’t go their way.
How can India get eliminated from T20 World Cup 2024?
India will not be able to qualify for the semi-finals if they lose against Australia by a margin of 41 or more runs on Monday and Afghanistan beat Bangladesh by 83 runs in their final Super 8 match. Australia will have to bat first and ensure they win by a margin of more than 41 runs to surpass India’s net run rate.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan will not only have to win but win big against Bangladesh. They will have to ensure they win by 83 or more runs which is highly unlikely, if they are to surpass India’s net run rate and qualify. India will thus hope to avoid any hiccups against Australia and treat their final Super 8 game as a do-or-die clash to seal their spot in the semi-finals.
Afghanistan’s stunning victory against Australia in the Super 8 on Sunday has intensified the race for the semi-finals in the T20 World Cup 2024. Despite bagging two wins in a row in the Super Eight, India are still not assured of a spot in the semi-finals and might get eliminated. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
