Australia survived a massive scare to keep their hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals alive in the 2022 T20 World cup by sealing a four-wicket victory over Afghanistan. A brilliant cameo from Rashid Khan towards the end of the game that saw him score 48 runs in just 23 runs went in vain as the defending champions ensured they stay alive in the competition.
Coming into the game, the talk was about Australia trying to maximise their Net Run Rate (NRR) but they were not successful in it. They needed a 184-run victory to pip New Zealand and become the first team to qualify for the knockout stages. After not being able to do it, the 2021 runner’s up have sealed qualification having beaten Ireland earlier in the day. This result has also ensured that Sri Lanka have no chance of making it to the semi-finals.
Who will qualify?
The race for second place is between Australia and England. Australia have 7 points while England have five points to their name. The hosts needed a 53-run to overtake England’s run-rate but failed at doing so hence their only hope is Sri Lanka beating England. A win for the Jos Buttler-side by any margin on Tuesday will see them qualify for the semi-finals. However, a Sri Lanka victory will see Australia seal their place in the last four. Interestingly, if the Sri Lanka-England game is washed out and both teams share one point each, Australia will qualify for the semi-finals.
Can England top the group?
If England are able to beat Sri Lanka, they will have 7 points which will take them level with both Australia and New Zealand. In order to top the group and displace New Zealand from the spot, England will have to win the game by a margin of 128 runs.
