T20 World Cup.

[Donny]

"A heated exchange between Matthew Wade and England captain Jos Buttler proved the impetus for Adam Zampa's latest big-game World Cup performance, as the leg-spinner suggested their opponents' frustration got the better of them.

Zampa said England had been "under the pump and it showed" as Australia slammed their highest score at a T20 World Cup, before the 32-year-old led a strangling bowling performance that has Buttler's men battling for survival in the Caribbean.

Wade only made 17no and did not effect a dismissal, but Zampa pointed to the tactical nous and fiery demeanour of Australia's vice-captain as a major factor in their 36-run win."

CA.

[Donny]

Match 19.

Pakistan v. India. 12.30 am

------------------------

Match 20.

Oman v. Scotland. 3 am.

[Pies4shaw]

Uganda made 39, genuinely struggling to chase WIndies' 5/173.

Scotland ran down Oman's target with ease - 3/153 in just 13.1 overs, chasing 7/150.

Bumrah took 3/14 to restrict Pakistan to 7/113, chasing Indi'as 120. For India, Pant made 42, Axar Patel made 20 and Rohit Sharma made 13. No batsmen outside their top 4 reached double figures. Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf each took 3/21. Rizwan top-scored with 31 for Pakistan. All of their top 5 reached double figures - but it wasn't enough.

[Pies4shaw]

Namibia lasted 17 overs for their 72. Australia won by 9 wickets inside the power play. Zampa took 4 wickets. Australia into the Super 8s with 3 wins from 3.

[stui magpie]

Australia plays Scotland next. Potentially, we could put England out of the competition if we deliberately let Scotland get close enough to knock England out on Net Run rate.

Should we do that?

I say if it knocks England out and gives them another reason to scream and sulk, then hell yes.

[Pies4shaw]

The Windies are through to the Super 8s, with their 3rd win from 3 games. Meanwhile, NZ's loss to the WIndies puts them on the brink. The only way NZ can qualify is if they thrash Uganda and PNG (fairly likely) and Afghanistan (presently 2 from 2) lose to both PNG (very unlikely) and the WIndies.

So, India, Australia, the West Indies and South Africa are all through to the next stage. Oman and Namibia have been eliminated. The rest are either likely or still a chance, (howsoever remote) to make it through. The likely qualifiers are:

Group A:
India and the USA (maybe Pakistan). The USA and Pakistan both have one game left, each against Ireland. Although the USA has 2 points in hand, if they lose to Ireland, Pakistan will likely go though. Canada and Ireland are both mathematical possibilities to get through - but neither will.

Group B:
Australia and England (maybe Scotland). England should comfortably win both remaining games (Namibia and Oman) and Australia should beat Scotland. If results go that way, you'd expect England to close their present gap on NRR and edge past Scotland into second - it's no easy thing for them, though. That said, Scotland is 4 points ahead of England and if there is another washout in either of England's games, England cannot progress.

Group C:
West Indies and Afghanistan. Mathematically, any of NZ, PNG or Uganda could make it through but, realistically, neither PNG nor Uganda will - and NZ are, at best, an outside chance.

Group D:
South Africa and Bangladesh (maybe the Netherlands). Unless the game between Bangladesh and the Netherlands is washed out, Sri Lanka will be eliminated (the most Sri Lanka can get is 3 points from all its matches and Bangladesh and the Netherlands each have 2). Nepal has two games in hand but only 1 point so far - to get through, they would have to win both remaining games, one of which is against unbeaten South Africa.

[Pies4shaw]

England bowled Oman out for 49 and have just hit 12 from the first 2 balls chasing.

[Pies4shaw]

Earlier, Bangladesh beat the Netherlands. The fact of a result eliminated Sri Lanka. Bangladesh look certain to progress - their remaining game is Nepal and a victory in that game would guarantee that the Netherlands cannot finish higher than 3rd in their group.

In about 4 hours, Afghanistan will have a chance to knock NZ out of the World Cup with a win over PNG.

[Pies4shaw]

England 2/20. Oman’s bowling is not quite as hopeless as its batting.

[Pies4shaw]

England won. 2/50 in 3.1 overs. England’s NRR is ahead of Scotland’s after that, so you’d think the only way Scotland have a chance to get through is if Warner and Head open the bowling against them and Hazlewood and Zampa open the batting (unless England’s remaining game is washed out).

[stui magpie]

^

Warner can bowl little medium pacers and useful leg spin, Head is a decent Offie, might be fun to do that just to hear the shrieks from ole Blighty.

One of the Scot's top order bats has even suggested he'd like to see Davie open the bowling. https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/t20-world-cup-michael-jones-on-run-rate-furore-if-david-warner-opens-the-bowling-it-d-be-pretty-funny-1438527

[Pies4shaw]

NZ have kept intact their record of never winning anything, ever - they have been knocked out in the group stage by Afghanistan.

[KenH]

[Pies4shaw]

^ He’s presently equal-139th for runs scored in the tournament. Of course, he’s only faced the two good teams in the group, so far. Expect him to pile on the runs against the bowling might of Uganda and PNG.

[Pies4shaw]

USA v Scotland just got washed out. The USA and India will progress from that group. Pakistan is officially out of the tournament.