It’s knockout match for West Indies against South Africa today at Antigua

Antigua and Barbuda: A knockout match is all set to be held between West Indies and South Africa in the ongoing Super 8 stage of the ICC T20 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2024.

The match will be held at Sir Viv Richards Stadium, Antigua and Barbuda where the position of both the teams for the semi-final will be determined.

The match will be the last game of the Group 2 of the Super 8 stage as the semi-final teams will be decided by these matches which will kickstart on June 27, 2024. So far, West Indies have played two matches in the Super 8 stage and won one game against the United States, securing 2 points in the points table.

However, the team started the game with a loss against England on June 19, 2024, disrupting the victory journey the team paved from the group stage. Now, today’s match will decide their fate in the ICC T20 World Cup as it will put the winning team directly into the semi-final round.

According to the current scenario, West Indies has to win the match to remain in the race of the semi-final as victory will make them gain four points at the points table. Currently, South Africa is in the top position in the points table with four points after their consecutive win against West Indies and England.

The net run rate of South Africa is +0.625, while West Indies stood in the second position with 2 two points and a better run rate of West Indies +1.814. The former team secured the enhanced run rate through their victory against the United States in 11 overs.

The entire scenario showcased that if West Indies wins today’s game against South Africa, then both the teams would reach four points, and further their fate would be decided by the match between England and the United States and their net run rate.

Notably, England has currently been playing its match against the United States which will also determine the fate of South Africa, West Indies, and England. If England wins against the US in 17.3 overs, then they will directly pave the path to the semi-finals.

After that, West Indies and South Africa will have to play for the victory and the winning team will reach to the semi-final. If England loses the match or not being able to win with the needed run rate, then they will be out of this World Cup as they are currently in the third position with two points and a +0.412 net run rate at the points table.

With the victory against the US with the needed run rate, England will get four points and reach the second position in the points table, and if West Indies loses the match against South Africa, then from the group stage, South Africa, and England will be the two teams for the semi-final round.

Hence, today’s matches are knockout for West Indies especially if they are looking to make their place in the semi-finals. On the other hand, from Group 1, India won consecutive two matches against Afghanistan and Bangladesh and secured the first position with four points in the points table.

However, Afghanistan and Australia are on the same pace with two points, and tomorrow’s match between India and Australia will be a knockout for the latter team to make their place in the semi-final round.

The match between India and Australia will be held at Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Saint Lucia.

Notably, the ICC T20 World Cup has been paving its path towards the final match which will be held in Barbados on June 29, 2024. Teams such as India, Australia, South Africa, England, West Indies, and Afghanistan are in the race for the semi-final round.

The matches for the World Cup were started on June 2, 2024, with group stage matches and the US and the Caribbean region hosted those games at their stadium. Every team in the group stage has played four matches and West Indies secured victory in the four of them at their home grounds.

On the first day, the US and Canada, Papua New Guinea, and West Indies played their matches against each other. From the group stage, eight teams have qualified for the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup which kicked off on June 19, 2024.

A total of four groups have been formed in the group stage and each group gave two teams to the Super 8 format of the World Cup. Now, two groups in the Super 8 format have been formed and these two groups will give two teams each for the semi-final rounds.

Four teams will play the semi-final round and two teams will move ahead for the finals of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. With the performance at the group stage, West Indies secured the third position in the 2024 World Cup as they secured a historic victory against Afghanistan.

Further, the countries of the Caribbean region have been hosting the Super 8 stage matches at the national stadiums. The countries such as Barbados, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana have hosted the matches of the World Cup.

The local community has welcomed the teams and their players by showcasing their calypso and soca vibes which is considered their vibrant cultural presentation. The pitches of the West Indies have also been appreciated by world cricketers as players faced problems at the pitches of the United States.