Two teams battle to secure semi-final spot in World Championship of Legends as Pakistan, Australia qualify

The World Championship of Legends 2024 is heating up as teams vie for a place in the semi-finals. Pakistan and Australia have already secured their spots, leaving the rest of the teams to battle for the remaining positions.

India Champions, led by Yuvraj Singh, experienced a setback in their semi-final qualification hopes after consecutive defeats in the group phase. Despite opening their campaign with victories over England and West Indies, they faltered against arch-rivals Pakistan and Australia in their recent fixtures.

The Indian team, while still in the top four, has seen a significant dip in their Net Run Rate (NRR), which could be crucial if teams end up tied on points. A crushing 100-run loss to Pakistan on July 6 at Edgbaston, followed by a 23-run defeat to Australia on July 8 at the County Cricket Ground in Northampton, left India with a negative NRR.

However, with one more game left in the league phase, the India Champions are still in contention for a top-four finish. Currently in third position with 4 points and an NRR of -0.826, India needs a decisive victory against South Africa in their final league match on July 10 to secure their semi-final spot.

The best-case scenario for India would be if South Africa, England, and West Indies each lose one of their remaining matches. If South Africa fails to beat Pakistan on July 9, they will be eliminated from the top-four race, as even a win against India would only leave them with 2 points. Similarly, if West Indies lose to both England and Australia, India will confirm their semi-final entry before facing South Africa.

If India qualifies, they could face either Pakistan or Australia in the semi-finals. The highest India can finish is second place, which requires Australia to lose their remaining match and for India to beat South Africa by a substantial margin.

If India finishes fourth, they will face Pakistan. If they secure second or third place, they will meet Australia in the semi-finals.