T20 WC Semifinal: West Indies’ Win Puts South Africa In Bind; England’s Qualification Path

Only one more round of matches remains in Group 2 of the Super Eight stage before the 2024 T20 World Cup sees its first semifinalists. Currently, three teams are vying for a spot in the semifinals, particularly following West Indies’ dominant victory over the USA, winning by nine wickets at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Roston Chase and Andre Russell were instrumental with three wickets each, limiting the USA to a mere 128 runs in 19.5 overs. Shai Hope then led the charge with an explosive unbeaten 82 off just 39 balls, propelling West Indies to chase down the target in only 10.5 overs.

South Africa leads with four points from two games, followed by the West Indies and England, each with a win in this T20 World Cup round. Despite the USA’s impressive run to the Super Eight, including a win against Pakistan, they are yet to score after two matches.

T20 WC Semifinal: Three-Way Battle

South Africa

In 2007, the Proteas won four consecutive matches before losing to India and getting knocked out by New Zealand due to net run rate. Now, 17 years later, South Africa faces a similar scenario with six straight wins. If West Indies beats them next week, they might exit the tournament.

Even a Super Over loss, coupled with an England win against the USA, could deny them a semifinal spot. South Africa’s best chance is a win or a no result in their final Super Eight match.

England and West Indies

The former champions’ battle will likely come down to net run rate. If they win their final games, England, South Africa, and West Indies will all have six points. England needs a big win against the USA to surpass South Africa and West Indies’ net run rates.

If England succeeds, their last match will be crucial. However, if both England and West Indies lose, the tiebreaker will be net run rate once again.

USA

The co-hosts had a strong start but then faced back-to-back losses, putting their semifinal chances in jeopardy. Although the USA hasn’t won any matches in the Super Eight round, they’re still in contention. To secure a spot, they must defeat England by 80 runs in their last match and hope South Africa beats West Indies by around 67 runs to advance on Net Run Rate (NRR).