World Cup semi-final qualification scenarios

LONDON: Reigning champions Australia are already guaranteed a place in the World Cup semi-finals while Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies and Afghanistan cannot make it out of the 10-team round-robin phase.That leaves India, New Zealand, England, Pakistan and Bangladesh all still vying for a place alongside Australia in the last four.Teams receive two points for a win and one point for a tie or no-result washout.If two sides are level on points at the end of the group stage, the one that has won more games goes through.If they remain level, the side with the superior net run-rate advances. In the unlikely event they still cannot be separated, then the result of their match against each other will be a tie-breaker.AFP Sport looks at what needs to happen for each of those sides if they are to qualify for the knockout phaseIndia -- second, 11 pointsRemaining pool matches:Jul 2: v BangladeshJul 6: v Sri LankaIndia need to win one of their two remaining group games to be certain of reaching a third successive World Cup semi-final.Even if Virat Kohli's side lose both of their matches, they should still advance on net run-rate.New Zealand -- third, 11 pointsRemaining pool match:Jul 3: v EnglandVictory over the tournament hosts would send the 2015 losing finalists into the last four again.Even if they are joined by either Pakistan or Bangladesh on 11 points, New Zealand's likely superior net run-rate should still see them through.England, fourth, 10 pointsRemaining pool match:Jul 3: v New ZealandA win over New Zealand would see the tournament hosts into the knockout phase.But if they lose, England would be dependent on other results.If Pakistan fail to beat Bangladesh and Bangladesh fail to win both of their remaining matches -- against India and Pakistan -- the host nation would qualify.Pakistan, fifth, 9 pointsRemaining pool match:Jul 5: v BangladeshPakistan need to beat Bangladesh and hope England have already lost to New Zealand if they are to qualify for the semi-finalsBangladesh, seventh, 7 pointsRemaining pool matches:Jul 2: v IndiaJul 5: v PakistanBangladesh need to win both of their remaining matches and hope New Zealand beat England if they are to go through.

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