[Lord Snooty]

Score predictor now says NZ only have a 1% chance of winning this.

Surely not.

---

England win by 119 runs. And reach the semi finals.
Never in doubt.

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

It's been a great comeback these last couple of games after turning in back-to-back stinkers against Sri Lanka and Aus. Need to keep Jason Roy in bubblewrap until the semis now: take him out and it all falls apart!

[Lord Snooty]

Apparently Pakistan have to beat Bangladesh by over 300 runs to better New Zealand's run rate.

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Week Five Roundup

Into the last few days of the group stage, and despite some squeaky bums, it looks like the four favourites have booked their respective places in the semis. It remains to be seen how the top two will work out, as Australia take their current advantage into the final game against South Africa on Saturday, while India will face Sri Lanka in the early game hoping to snatch top spot and avoid England in the semi. New Zealand are the only team still precariously placed, but in order for Pakistan to steal their place in the last four, they'll need to beat Bangladesh by a record margin of 316 runs on Friday. And of course, the vagaries of the net run-rate system mean that if the Tigers win the toss and elect to bat first, it will immediately render the match a dead rubber. Elsewhere, the West Indies will finish an ultimately disappointing campaign tomorrow, and cricketing neutrals the world over will have their fingers crossed that having come so close so many times these last five weeks, Afghanistan will finally get across the line with a historic win.

In the individual stakes, Rohit Sharma has now equalled Kumar Sangakkara's record four centuries at a single tournament, with plenty of time left to go one better; Chris Gayle will need at least 47 runs against Afghanistan tomorrow if he's to surpass Brian Lara and retire as the West Indies all-time top World Cup run-scorer, and barring some absolute catastrophe that rules him out of the tournament, it's now a matter of when, rather than if, Mitchell Starc becomes the new record wicket-taker in a World Cup. On a slightly less likely note, but nevertheless possible, Friday will see Shakib Al Hasan's last innings in this competition, and a knock of 132 or more against Pakistan would make history by breaking Tendulkar's run-scoring record.

Leading Run-scorers

1. Rohit Sharma (IND) - 544
2. Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) - 542
3. David Warner (AUS) - 516
4. Aaron Finch (AUS) - 504
5. Joe Root (ENG) - 500


Leading Wicket-takers

1. Mitchell Starc (AUS) - 24
2. Lockie Ferguson (NZ) - 17 [for 316]
3. Jofra Archer (ENG) - 17 [for 387]
4. Mohammad Aamer (PAK) - 16 [for 327]
5. Mark Wood (ENG) - 16 [for 369]

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

No records for Chris Gayle: he's caught behind for 7 and completes his World Cup career 39 runs short of Brian Lara's 1,225.

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Oh, Afghanistan. Yet again getting themselves into a decent position, and yet again doing their level best to blow it in the final stretch.

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Pakistan, needing to win by a margin of 316, post 315-9 in their innings. Unless they find a novel way of bowling Bangladesh out for -1, that's them done.

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Brave effort from Shakib, but he falls for 64 and ends his tournament with 606, currently the third highest scorer of all time in a single World Cup.

[themaclad]

India win, Aussies lose

India v New Zealand Tuesday OT
England v Australia Egbaston Thursday

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Going into the semis, Rohit Sharma now holds the record for the most centuries in a World Cup tournament, his five topping Sangakkara's four. Furthermore, an innings of 27 or above against New Zealand tomorrow will see him snatch Tendulkar's sixteen-year record away; if he fails, David Warner could do the same with 36 or more against England. Mitchell Starc has now equalled Glenn McGrath's record 2007 haul of 26 wickets, and will require just one England scalp on Thursday to make history.

Leading Run-scorers

1. Rohit Sharma (IND) - 647
2. David Warner (AUS) - 638
3. Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) - 606
4. Aaron Finch (AUS) - 507
5. Joe Root (ENG) - 500


Leading Wicket-takers

1. Mitchell Starc (AUS) - 26
2. Mustafizur Rahman (BAN) - 20
3. Lockie Ferguson (NZ) - 17 [for 316]
4. Jasprit Bumrah (IND) - 17 [for 332]
5. Mohammad Aamer (PAK) - 17 [for 358]