WC 2019: With Australia sealing one semis spot, look into teams in race to qualify for knockouts

While defending champions Australia sealed their place in the knockouts by getting to 12 points in their seven matches, there is an intense race between India, New Zealand and England to seal the remaining three spots.

The ICC World Cup 2019  is coming to its business end with all the ten teams having played at least 6 out of their 9 matches. With 2 to 3 more games to go in the round robin stages, the battle is very much on between the sides to grab three of the four semifinal spots in the showpiece event. While defending champions Australia sealed their place in the knockouts by getting to 12 points in their seven matches, there is an intense race between India, New Zealand and England to seal the remaining three spots. Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh are also very much in contention Meanwhile South Africa, Afghanistan and the West Indies are the three teams who are out from the race of qualifying for the semifinals. So here is a look at how does the qualification scenario pan out AUSTRALIA: Australia became the first team to qualify for the semifinals after they registered their sixth win in seven matches by winning their last encounter against Pakistan. Australia would look to end atop the points table by coming out winners in their remaining fixtures against South Africa and New Zealand. INDIA: India who are currently placed second in the points table need just one more win to guarantee a place in the semis. The Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue have 12 points in the kitty after winning five off their six matches in the tournament so far. The Indians would eye a win in one of their remaining three fixtures left against England, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and go into the knockouts. NEW ZEALAND: Kane Williamson-led New Zealand team are also in a strong position to qualify for the semifinals. The Kiwis who were unbeaten in their first six games suffered their first defeat in their seventh game against a resurgent Pakistan side. They would need a win in one of their remaining two games to go through. However, if they lose against both Australia and England (they end with 11 points), they would want at least two of England, Sri Lanka and the winner of Pakistan-Bangladesh game to lose at least one of their remaining games. ENGLAND: Hosts England who started off the tournament in emphatic fashion have slipped a bit losing games to Sri Lanka and Australia. England are currently on the fourth place in the points table with eight points. The title contenders need to win both their games against India and Sri Lanka to be fully sure of securing a top four spot. Should England win only one game, then they would need all three of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan to lose at least one of their remaining matches. BANGLADESH: Mashrafe Mortaza's team have been one of the giant killers in the tournament, upsetting both South Africa and West Indies in the round robin stages. They have a realistic chance of making the semis, if they beat Pakistan and India in their last two games and get to 11 points. However, their destiny is not entirely dependent on their performances but how the results of England and Sri Lanka pan out. PAKISTAN: Pakistan have been pretty up and down in this tournament. After being bowled out for paltry 105-runs against WI, they inflicted an upset win against England at the start of the tournament. They lost their way in the middle stages by losing to both India and Australia. However, wins against South Africa and New Zealand put them back in contention. The Pakis can hope to qualify if they win their remaining three matches and get to 11 points.