Table of Contents
In the ongoing ODI World Cup in India, England are enduring a dismal campaign, and their hopes of retaining their championship title are hanging by a thread. The defending champions suffered yet another setback in the tournament when they faced Sri Lanka in Bengaluru on Thursday.
A humiliating defeat against Sri Lanka
In a match that highlighted England’s batting woes, the entire team crumbled to a paltry total of 156 runs in just 33.2 overs. Lahiru Kumara emerged as the star performer for the Sri Lankan side, claiming a remarkable three-wicket haul.
Sri Lanka’s dominance
Sri Lanka’s response was swift and ruthless as they chased down the modest target within 26 overs, securing a comfortable 8-wicket victory. Pathum Nissanka (77 off 83) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (65 off 54) were the architects of this triumph, smashing impressive half-centuries to dismantle the English bowling attack.
Also READ: Twitter reactions – Clinical Sri Lanka thrash England in Bengaluru – ODI World Cup 2023
England’s qualification scenarios
Despite this demoralizing loss, England still have a glimmer of hope for advancing to the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup 2023. However, this hope is contingent on several factors and their own performance in the remaining matches.
Winning the remaining matches
For England to make it to the top four, they must win all of their remaining four matches. While this is a significant challenge, given their reputation in the international arena, it’s not entirely impossible.
Other results need to favor England
In addition to their own victories, England’s qualification is reliant on other match outcomes. Several scenarios could help England secure a spot in the semi-finals:
- New Zealand’s struggle: England’s path to the top four becomes clearer if New Zealand lose their remaining four matches and remain stuck on eight points.
- India and South Africa: England’s chances improve if India win three of their four games, losing only to England, and if South Africa beat all teams except India. This would place India (16 points) and South Africa (14 points) in the top two spots.
- Australia and Afghanistan: Another scenario involves Australia beating New Zealand but losing their other matches, while Afghanistan defeat Netherlands and Australia. This would leave both Australia and Afghanistan tied at eight points.
- Sri Lanka and Pakistan: If Sri Lanka defeat New Zealand and Afghanistan, and Pakistan beat Bangladesh and New Zealand, both Sri Lanka and Pakistan would also finish with eight points.
In such a situation, England’s 10 points would be enough for a third place, with several others locked in an intense battle for the fourth spot.
