INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
India are the tournament pacesetters while England and Sri Lanka will both be out to give their semi-final hopes a much-needed boost in
their clash at the ICC Men&s Cricket World Cup 2023.The hosts are joined by South Africa, New Zealand and Australia in the critical top-four
spots on the current Cricket World Cup standings but all 10 teams can still dream of claiming a place in the knockout stages.Here is the
state of play ahead of the England and Sri Lanka clash on 26 October:Standings: Cricket World Cup 20231
India (five wins, no losses)
Most runs: Virat Kohli (354 runs)
Most wickets: Jasprit Bumrah (11 wickets)The hosts are in the driver&s seat
to secure a crucial top-four finish after starting their campaign with five comprehensive victories.India are yet to be truly tested as
their well-balanced bowling attack has been able to contain & and often tear through & the opposition batting group to ensure their
second-innings target is manageable.The tournament pacesetters have won each match so far while batting second with captain Rohit Sharma and
chase master Virat Kohli leading the way, so it remains to be seen what sort of damage India can do across a full 50 overs.Still to play:
England (29 October), Sri Lanka (2 November), South Africa (5 November), Netherlands (12 November)2
South Africa (four wins, one loss)
Most runs: Quinton de Kock (407 runs)
Most wickets: Kagiso Rabada, Gerald Coetzee, Marco Jansen (10
wickets each)South Africa have sent a warning shot across the tournament with four totals above 300 & including more than 400 against Sri
Lanka & that have secured four emphatic victories.The Proteas& one blemish came in a shock 38-run loss to familiar foes Netherlands when
they were skittled out for 207 in their only run chase so far at the Cricket World Cup.But with a batting group led by opener Quinton de
Kock and an explosive middle order, it is unlikely South Africa will continue to suffer from second-innings blues as another shot at an
elusive semi-final victory looks all but assured.Still to play: Pakistan (27 October), New Zealand (1 November), India (5 November),
Afghanistan (10 November)3
New Zealand (four wins, one loss)
Most runs: Rachin Ravindra (290 runs)
Most wickets: Mitch Santner (12 wickets)The runner&s up at the past
two Cricket World Cups are well-placed to secure yet another semi-final berth after thumping defending champions England in their opener
then clinching resounding victories over less-fancied opponents.But tougher tests are to come for New Zealand who showed they could match it
with pacesetters India without ever quite taking control of the contest that they ultimately lost by four wickets.With four wins in the bank
and a healthy net run rate, New Zealand likely need two more victories to lock in their spot in the knockout stages and hope to secure at
least one of those against fellow contenders Australia and South Africa.Still to play: Australia (28 October), South Africa (1 November),
Pakistan (4 November), Sri Lanka (9 November)4
Australia (three wins, two losses)
Most runs: David Warner (332 runs)
Most wickets: Adam Zampa (13 wickets)The five-time champions have been
building momentum as the tournament progresses after starting their campaign with two disappointing losses.Three convincing wins have
followed as their batters have found form with at least one strong innings each, while their trio of pacers and spinner Adam Zampa have also
made their mark.Australia arguably still have room for improvement & both in terms of performances and personnel & as they aim to win at
least one of their upcoming clashes with arch-rivals New Zealand and England to keep one foot in the knockout stages.Still to play: New
Zealand (28 October), England (4 November), Afghanistan (7 November), Bangladesh (11 November)5
Pakistan (two wins, three losses)
Most runs: Mohammad Rizwan (302 runs)
Most wickets: Shaheen Afridi (10 wickets)Pakistan impressed as they
opened their Cricket World Cup with two comprehensive victories but have fallen back into the pack to be on the brink of missing out on the
knockout stages.While a thumping at the hands of heated rivals India always stings, it is the loss to Afghanistan that could prove most
costly as Pakistan is left with plenty to do in their remaining fixtures.It is crucial that the 1992 champions snap their three-match losing
streak when they face a surging South Africa next otherwise Pakistan will likely be relying on other results to go their way to keep their
semi-final hopes alive.Still to play: South Africa (27 October), Bangladesh (31 October), New Zealand (4 November), England (11 November)6
Afghanistan (two wins, three losses)
Most runs: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (224 runs)
Most wickets: Naveen-ul-Haq, Rashid Khan (six wickets
each)Afghanistan are well and truly still in the mix to earn a semi-final berth and will likely need to win at least three of their
remaining four matches & if not them all & if they are to sneak in.Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran have been in fine form,
while the spin quartet of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Mohammad Nabi and Noor Ahmad have all caused some concern for opposition batters at
different stages of the tournament.Still to play: Sri Lanka (30 October), Netherlands (3 November), Australia (7 November), South Africa (10
Sri Lanka (one win, three losses)
Most runs: Sadeera Samarawickrama (230 runs)
Most wickets: Dilshan Madushanka (11 wickets)Injuries prior
to the tournament and in the first three weeks in India have proven costly for the 1996 champions who have managed just one triumph heading
into their crunch clash with England.The absence of star spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has put too much pressure on Maheesh Theekshana, while
the loss of Matheesha Pathirana just this week has also put another dampener on what promised to be a competitive campaign.A win against
England is critical to keeping Sri Lanka&s hopes for the semi-finals intact, while a loss could prove the end to their hopes of reaching the
knockout stage.Still to play: England (26 October), Afghanistan (30 October), India (2 November), Bangladesh (6 November), New Zealand (9
England (one win, three losses)
Most runs: Dawid Malan (192 runs)
Most wickets: Reece Topley (eight wickets)The defending champions& clash
with Sri Lanka looms as a must-win encounter as a loss to the Asian side could leave England with too much to do heading into the backend of
the tournament.Not much has gone right for England thus far with the loss of in-form quick Reece Topley to injury and the absence of Ben
Stokes for the first three matches of the campaign putting a dent in their chances for back-to-back titles.Their sole victory so far in
India came against ninth-placed Bangladesh and a win against Sri Lanka is needed to give them a chance of reaching the final four.Still to
play: Sri Lanka (26 October), India (29 October), Australia (4 November), Netherlands (8 November), Pakistan (11 November)9
Bangladesh (one win, four losses)
Most runs: Mahmudullah Riyad (198 runs)
Most wickets: Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Shoriful Islam
(six wickets each)The Asian side made a great start to the 2023 World Cup with a commanding victory against Afghanistan, but subsequent
losses to England, New Zealand, India and South Africa have seen their semi-final hopes all but extinguished.Bangladesh would need to win
all their remaining four matches at the tournament and have other results go their way to have any chance of sneaking into the knockout
On current form it looms as a tough ask for Shakib Al Hasan&s side.Still to play: Netherlands (28 October), Pakistan (31 October), Sri Lanka
(6 November), Australia (11 November)10
Netherlands (one win, four losses)
Most runs: Colin Ackermann (137 runs)
Most wickets: Bas de Leede (nine wickets)The crushing loss to
Australia all but put an end to Netherlands& chances of reaching the semi-finals in India, with the Dutch now needing to win all four of
their remaining matches to keep alive any slim hopes.The upset victory over South Africa has been the clear highlight of Netherlands&
campaign thus far and Scott Edwards& side were far from outclassed in each of their other matches until crossing paths with a rampant
Australia.Still to play: Bangladesh (28 October), Afghanistan (3 November), England (8 November), India (12 November)The post World Cup
State of Play: England and Sri Lanka campaigns on brink of collapse first appeared on Ariana News.
