Qualified teams in T20 World Cup 2021: The two quintessential arch-rivals have qualified for the semi-finals from Group 1.
Advertisement
A league stage of any tournament is considered to be successful when the teams qualifying for the next round are decided during or after the completion of the last match.
While the league stage (Group 2) of the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2021 will be culminated on Monday, it all went down to the wire as far as Group 1 is concerned.
Having won their first four matches in a row, England were always expected to qualify for the semi-finals. With South Africa putting forward a 190-run target in their last Super 12 match, England needed to lose by more than 100 runs in a bid to not qualify for the next round.
Qualified teams in T20 World Cup 2021 Group 1
South Africa, on the other hand, needed to win by at least 58 runs in order to qualify. With that not happening after England crossed the 131-run mark in the 16th over, South Africa have been ruled out of the tournament.
Irrespective of whether the Proteas win or lose this match, they will finish the tournament as the third-ranked Group 1 team behind England and Australia.
The development means that arch-rivals England and Australia have qualified for the semi-finals. Readers must note that the two semi-finals will be played in Abu Dhabi and Dubai on November 10 and 11 respectively. With Pakistan most likely to qualify as the top-ranked team from Group 2, expect them to face Australia in a semi-final unless an upset is registered in Group 2 in the next two days.
Australia bowled out Bangladesh for 73 and chased it in 6.2 overs. South Africa rolled Bangladesh out for 84 and took 13.3 overs to chase.
Even if South Africa had chased that in 10 overs, their current situation to qualify for the semis would have been much easier.
— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) November 6, 2021
Coming back to South Africa, they have doubtlessly impressed one and all in this World Cup. An inexperienced squad led by an inexperienced captain in Temba Bavuma defied their below par form in the last couple of years or so. The Proteas would be looking forward to build on this momentum ahead of another T20 World Cup to be played next year.
For qualified teams from Group 2, click here.
