India and South Africa are likely to qualify for the semifinals and at least five other teams are also in with a realistic chance going into the last two weeks of the tournament.
India are on the cusp of becoming the first team to secure a place in the semifinals of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 following their 100-run win over England.
But how do the rest of the teams stack up and what do they need to do in order to grab the likely three remaining spots?
Here are the round-robin group stage standings on Monday, with each team having played six out of nine games.
With the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) announcement on Monday that the top seven teams plus hosts Pakistan will qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025, the final standings of the points table will be important even beyond the semifinal slots.
As the decidedly long group stage of the tournament enters its final two weeks, Al Jazeera looks at what the teams need to do to qualify for the November 15 and 16 semifinals:
With six wins from their first six matches, the hosts have a clear lead in the run-up to semifinals.
The table-toppers need one more win from their three matches to put a semifinal berth beyond doubt.
Remaining fixtures: Sri Lanka (November 2), South Africa (November 5), Netherlands (November 12)
Despite trailing India on points, South Africa boast the best net run rate in the tournament so far.
The Proteas had a shock loss against the Netherlands in their third match, but have since recorded three wins to have a total of five.
Their 271 chase against Pakistan will have given their fans confidence as they look to the tag of being perennial underachievers in the closing stages of world tournaments.
Two wins out of their last three matches will ensure a semifinal ticket.
Remaining fixtures: New Zealand (November 1), India (November 4), Afghanistan (November 10)
Runners-up in the last two editions of the tournament and a favourite “second team” of most cricket fans, New Zealand started the tournament with a blistering win over holders England but have lost their last two matches.
Three wins out of three would suit the Blackcaps perfectly, although they face tough opponents in the closing stages of their group-stage campaign.
Two wins would see them finish on 12 points and could end up being just enough, given their healthy net run rate.
Remaining fixtures: South Africa (November 1), Pakistan (November 4), Sri Lanka (November 9)
The five-time champions have lived up to their never-say-die reputation and bounced back after losing their first two matches against India and South Africa.
Pat Cummins has led his lineup of experienced players in a string of four wins to jump up to fourth place after a disappointing start.
Australia need to win their three remaining matches to qualify for the semifinals for the third time in a row. Two wins and favourable results elsewhere in the fixtures list could also see them securing a top-four spot.
Remaining fixtures: England (November 4), Afghanistan (November 7), Bangladesh (November 11)
Afghanistan entered the tournament as so-called minnows, but have made a statement of intent with comfortable wins over three former World Cup champions in England, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
The spin-heavy team still face a steep task in the lead-up to the knock-out stage but will have every chance of qualifying if they bag maximum points in their remaining fixtures.
Star all-rounder Rashid Khan and his teammates cannot be ruled out of the tournament yet.
Remaining fixtures: Netherlands (November 3), Australia (November 7), South Africa (November 10)
Sri Lanka have had a lot going against them since the tournament began, with players dropping out due to injuries and Pakistan completing a World Cup record run-chase to hand them their second loss.
However, the 1996 champions have managed to record two wins and are buoyed by the return of veteran all-rounder Angelo Mathews.
The island nation must win all of their remaining matches to have a chance of qualifying for the semifinals and face a tough prospect with matches against table-toppers India, regional rivals Bangladesh and a strong New Zealand side.
Remaining fixtures: India (November 2), Bangladesh (November 6), New Zealand (November 9)
Pakistan and their fans find themselves in familiar territory: Praying for a miracle, relying on a string of results to go their way and needing to win all their matches in order to reach the knockout stage.
Babar Azam and his men have come under heavy criticism for their poor performances but could take some encouragement from their close finish against South Africa as they go deeper into do-or-die territory.
Pakistan will need to win against their last three opponents and hope a specific combination of results goes their way in order to grab a last-four spot.
Remaining fixtures: Bangladesh (October 31), New Zealand (November 4), England (November 11)
There are many permutations but this image has the best possible scenario for Pakistan.
PAK need to win all three and need others to beat NZ in all three. PAK need BD or AFG to beat SL.
In case of equal points (10), PAK would prefer SL than NZ cos SL’s NRR is low. pic.twitter.com/J8HrQswQjs
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) October 28, 2023
The Netherlands are no strangers to causing upsets at the World Cup and although they have only two wins against their name at this edition, the Dutch have given a string of good performances.
The perennial giant-killers will fancy their chances against Afghanistan and England, but if they manage to win against India, it will possibly go down as the biggest upset of the tournament and give them a shout for a top-four finish.
Remaining fixtures: Afghanistan (November 3), England (November 8), India (November 12)
Appreciation post for Scott Edwards and Netherlands Cricket. I wish we had more leaders like him who do much with little. No global superstars, but they work smart and hard. These are no longer upsets. They are deserved victories.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) October 28, 2023
The South Asian dark horses have given another poor account of themselves at the Cricket World Cup with just one win in their six matches.
Shakib al-Hasan’s men are all but out of the tournament with three matches to go and a mountain to climb in the net run-rate column.
Only three big wins and a string of freakish results can rescue their campaign.
Remaining fixtures: Pakistan (October 31), Sri Lanka (November 6), Australia (November 11)
And so, the defending champions were pushed all the way to the bottom of the points table.
England’s campaign in India has been their worst at the ICC Cricket World Cup in terms of matches lost – they have never lost five matches before.
In his pre-tournament media talks, captain Jos Buttler emphasised that his team were not defending anything in the tournament and his prophecy is on its way to being proven right.
England are clinging on with mathematical hopes, like several other teams, but their chances of progressing seem bleak.
Remaining fixtures: Australia (November 4), Netherlands (November 8), Pakistan (November 11)
Been some absolutely atrocious World Cups for England but this one must be the worst of the lot. Come into as champions and one of the favourites and looking like finishing bottom of the table.
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) October 29, 2023
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