The qualifying teams and lineups for the semifinals were confirmed on Sunday, bringing an end to the Super 12 Round of the ongoing cricket world cup. Let’s have a look at the fixtures, venues, head-to-head records, and probable team lineups for the T20 World Cup 2022 semifinals.
Which teams have qualified for the Twenty20 World Cup 2022 semifinals?
Twelve teams were divided into two groups in the Super 12s for a berth in the semifinals. Australia, New Zealand, England, Sri Lanka, Ireland, and Afghanistan played against each other in Group 1. New Zealand and England finished first and second in Group 1 with 7 points each and advanced to the semifinals. New Zealand topped the group thanks to better run rates.
On the other hand, India, Pakistan, South Africa, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe competed against each other in Group 2. India finished top of the group with 8 points after winning four matches. Pakistan came out second in the group after overcoming Bangladesh in a do-or-die contest on Sunday in Adelaide. Therefore, both Asian giants will be playing in the semifinals.
ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2022: Semifinals lineups and fixtures
The Group 1 winner, New Zealand, will take on the Group 2 runner-up, Pakistan, in the first semifinal. Oppositely, the Group 2 winner, India, will take on the Group 1 runner-up, England, in the second semifinal.
Fixtures
Semifinal 1: November 9 | Match: New Zealand vs Pakistan | Venue: SCG | Time: 2 p.m. (BST)
Semifinal 2: November 10 | Match: India vs England | Venue: Adelaide Oval | Time: 2 p.m. (BST)
Pakistan vs New Zealand: Head-to-head record
28 Twenty20 internationals have been played between Pakistan and New Zealand. With 17 victories, Pakistan have dominated the head-to-head battle. On the other hand, New Zealand have 11 triumphs. Pakistan recently defeated New Zealand in the final of a tri-nation series in October.
India vs England: Head-to-head record
India just have an edge over England in the h2h T20I contest with 12 wins. The English side, on the other hand, has 10 victories over the Men in Blue in this format. They played a three-match bilateral series against each other last July, which India won 2-1.
Pakistan vs New Zealand first semifinal: Probable lineups
The Sydney Cricket Ground will host the Pakistan vs New Zealand first semifinal contest on November 9. The SCG is one of the few pitches in Australia that tend to support the spinners. Both teams, therefore, will construct their playing XI based on the nature of the wicket, where more than one spinner could be included in the lineup.
India vs England second semifinal: Probable lineups
The Adelaide Cricket Stadium is likely suited for the pacers to thrive, and it’s also a high-scoring venue. The oval ground is relatively smaller in the square of the wicket, which will be taken into consideration when selecting players for this contest.
Aftermath
New Zealand, India, England, and Pakistan are the four deserving semifinalists of the T20 World Cup 2022. The matches will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, in two of Australia’s most iconic venues: Sydney and Adelaide. The Asian heavyweights, Pakistan and India, have better head-to-head records than their semifinal counterparts, New Zealand and England. However, there is no favourite team in such big matches; instead, the chances of winning are higher for the team having a good game that day.
Source: United News of Bangladesh