With the race to the
T20 World Cup semifinals
in Group 1 down to the last two matches, eyes are on all the permutations, combinations and qualification scenarios on offer, with all four teams still in with a chance to make it to the knockout stage of the tounament.
But besides the performances of the players and the teams, one other factor that always remains in the mix is the weather.
T20 WORLD CUP: Points Table | Schedule
In the first of the crucial last two remaining matches in Group 1, it will be
India vs Australia
on Monday at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in
Gros Islet
, St Lucia.
The skies above the stadium are forecast to remain mostly cloudy through the duration of the game that is scheduled for a 10:30 am (local time) start, which is 8 pm in India.
According to accuweather.com, Monday morning in St Lucia will be "partly sunny" but with "a thunderstorm in parts of the area" besides being "windy" with a cloud cover of 85%. That forecast will improve as the day moves into the afternoon, when the cloud cover is expected to reduce to 47%.
All in all, a typical Caribbean weather is in store during the day game on Monday.
While unbeaten India (4 points and net run-rate +2.425) are the frontrunners to reach the semis, Australia (2 points, NRR +0.223) could be knocked out if they lose to India. Then, if Afghanistan (2 points, NRR -0.650) go on to beat Bangladesh (0 point, NRR -2.489) in the last match of the 'Super 8s', the Afghans will join India as the two semifinalists from Group 1.
IF INDIA vs AUSTRALIA GETS WASHED OUT
If the game happens to end in a no-result because of a washout, then Australia will end up with three points. The reigning ODI champions will then want the Afghanistan vs Bangladesh match to be either washed out or end in a win for Bangladesh.
In case both the games don't produce any result, Australia will edge Afghanistan on NRR, while a defeat against Bangladesh will leave the Afghans exiting the tournament with two points as opposed to Australia's three.
GROUP 2
Defending champions England are the only team so far to have made it to the semifinals from Group 2, where the winner in the match between West Indies and South Africa will join England in the knockouts.
English (US) ·