Published: Jun 30, 2019, 01:43 AM (IST)
Edited: Jun 30, 2019, 01:44 AM (IST)
Hello and the welcome to our live coverage of Match 37 of ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 between Australia and New Zealand at Lord’s London on Saturday.
Australia are the only team confirmed for the semi-finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup. Perennial contenders New Zealand are a win away from joining them in the final four, having suffered their first loss of the tournament this week to perennial upstarts Pakistan in Birmingham.
On Saturday at Lord’s, third-placed New Zealand will meet Australia in the first ODI between the two in over two years, with Kane Williamson‘s Blackcaps searching for a way past the defending champions. They need one win to confirm their place in the semi-finals; after the Lord’s match versus Australia await hosts England in Durham on July 3.
Should New Zealand lose both remaining matches, they will stay on 11 points. They would thus need England to lose to India, leaving the hosts on 10 points. If England beat India and New Zealand, they will go forward into the semi-finals with 12 points. If Pakistan beat Afghanistan and Bangladesh, they would end on 11 points. Then head-to-head will come into play, and Pakistan would go ahead having beaten New Zealand in the league phase.
It is, really, New Zealand’s tournament to blow from here.
