Which team will India face in semifinals of ODI World Cup 2023 if they finish league stage as table-toppers?

India has been the most impressive team in the 2023 World Cup so far, with a dominating six-match winning streak that has put them at the top of the points table. They have been ruthless in their approach, even when tested by strong teams like New Zealand and England. India is now the team to beat and the firm favourite to win the World Cup on home soil.

Senior pros Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been the pillars of India’s batting, scoring 398 and 354 runs respectively in six innings. Rohit’s phenomenal strike rate of 119.16 shows the impact he’s had at the top of the order, while Kohli’s one-ton and three half-centuries have been crucial contributions. KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer have also chipped in with important runs.

Meanwhile, India’s bowlers have been ruthless, with Jasprit Bumrah (14 wickets in 6 matches) and Mohammed Shami (9 wickets in 2 matches) leading the way. They have been ably supported by Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja, who have all applied a lot of pressure on the opposition batters.

With three matches remaining in the group stage, India is well-positioned to finish at the top of the table. If they can do so, they will face the fourth-placed team in the semi-finals, which is likely to be one of the weaker teams in the tournament. This would give India a significant advantage in the knockout stages.

Who will India face in the semi-finals?

The fourth spot is likely to be taken by one of New Zealand, Australia and Afghanistan. With New Zealand having lost two games in a row and having some tough games ahead, they could be relegated to the fourth spot. If Australia can overtake New Zealand on the points table, we could be in for another India vs New Zealand semi-final.

If New Zealand can win their remaining matches and Australia avoid upsets against Afghanistan and Bangladesh, we could see an India-Australia semi-final. However, if Australia lose to England and Afghanistan, and Afghanistan win all their remaining matches, Afghanistan could finish fourth, setting up an India-Afghanistan semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium on November 15.