LONDON, July 5, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Australia and India will be aiming to
finish top of the World Cup league phase and so avoid facing hosts England in
the semi-finals as they prepare for the final day of round-robin matches.
Defending champions Australia, two-time winners India and England have
already booked their place in the final four ahead of Saturday’s games.
New Zealand are almost certain to take fourth spot, barring a freakishly
big win for Pakistan in their final group game against Bangladesh on Friday.
Leaders Australia have 14 points after seven wins and one defeat, one point
ahead of India, who have six wins plus one no result and a defeat. England
have 12 points after six victories and three defeats, one point ahead of New
Zealand.
In order to leapfrog Australia, Virat Kohli’s India need to beat Sri Lanka
at Headingley but also need help from South Africa, who face Aaron Finch’s
side later on the same day at Old Trafford.
The top-ranked team will face the side that finishes fourth, likely New
Zealand, who have lost three straight matches.
England are guaranteed to finish third and will meet the side that finishes
second at Edgbaston on July 11. The first semi-final is on July 9 at Old
Trafford and pitches first against fourth.
England captain Eoin Morgan has voiced his liking for Edgbaston as a venue
after his side, eyeing their maiden World Cup triumph, beat India by 31 runs
in a league game on Sunday.
The host nation, who started the tournament as favourites, lost their way
with consecutive defeats against Sri Lanka and Australia but hit back
strongly to beat India and New Zealand, rediscovering the zest that made them
the world’s most-feared one-day international side.
Former England Test captain Michael Vaughan said he could not see Australia
slipping up.
“The team that you’d like to face is New Zealand and that’s why I can’t see
how Australia slip up on Saturday,” he told the BBC.
“There’s two reasons why I don’t think that will happen. Australia are
playing at Old Trafford against South Africa. They know that if they finish
top they play New Zealand again there on Tuesday and as a team they can
settle in Manchester, they can get their kit in the dressing room and they’re
potentially going to have two games on the same pitch in the space of four or
five days. ”
“South Africa have been poor and you’d expect Australia to win that game
and play New Zealand in the semi-final,” he added.
“You never know, it might be an Australia versus England final. That would
be nice, wouldn’t it?”