The full contours of the semi final slots of the World Cup cricket competition in England would start emerging late on Wednesday night when the result of the match between South Africa and New Zealand is known and after Bangladesh and Australia square off at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Thursday. As of now, the prospects for making it to the semi final are the brightest for Australia and hosts England even though both have lost one match each, and India and New Zealand which are the only undefeated teams in the tournament so far (before the results of Wednesday’s match between New Zealand and South Africa).
While stakes might not be as high for New Zealand on Wednesday for South Africa, the result would determine their contention for the race to the semi-finals. The Black Cap bowlers have been in prime form, having restricted the opposition to a below-par total on each occasion, making things easier for the batsmen. The Kiwi middle-order, which failed considerably against Bangladesh before Mitchell Santner finished the job, will be put to a stiff test against South Africa.
Bangladesh captain Mshrafe Mortaza’s team has been excellent so far but they need to do all the right things they have done so far and more when they face five-time champions Australia.
Australia are may be without an injured Marcus Stoinis but their pacemen Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins are proving to be a nightmare to face. Aaron Finch and David Warner have been providing solid starts and Steve Smith has been a rock in the middle order. Therefore, on current form, it is difficult to see how Australia would not make the final four.
On the other hand, Bangladesh have so far left behind their own trail in this tournament. They have lost as many matches (two) as they have won but they have been clinical in the two games where they ended up victorious and had succeeded pushing New Zealand almost to the brink before coming up short. After trumping West Indies in a landmark run-chase of 322 on Monday, Bangladesh need to repeat all the things they did right in that game against Australia.
For Bangladesh, Shakib will once again be the key player. He is really showing why he is the world’s top-ranked all-rounder in ODIs. With five wickets in four matches and two centuries and two fifties in four innings, Shakib has made it simply impossible to look past him anymore. In his current form, Shakib against Starc and Cummins could throw up a mouth-watering clash against Australia.
Top order batsmen in all the teams have so far dominated the World Cup cricket competition in England so far. Almost all teams that have done well so far have done it riding on the back of the success of their first four batsmen. Eight of the top 15 run-getters in the current competition are opening batsmen and five others have batted at no 3 slot. Ten out of the highest 12 partnerships involve the top four batsmen. And the highest—an unbeaten 189 for the fifth wicket in Bangladesh’s impressive win over West Indies — came with Shakib Al Hasan batting at No 3 and Liton Das.
Aaron Finch off England is the top run-getter among openers at the moment, followed by Rohit Sharma of India and Australia’s David Warner. Shakib, who has scored back-to-back centuries and tops that list, has batted at No 3 in this World Cup. Of the 12 centuries till Monday only England’s Joss Buttler batted lower than No 4, at No 6. Out of 19 completed matches till Monday, 10 were won by the team batting first. For New Zealand, a bulk of their runs have come from Kane Williamson at No 3 and Ross Taylor at No 4.