Afghanistan's historic dream run continued as they thrashed Netherlands by seven wickets in the 34th match of the ICC World Cup 2023 on Friday, November 3. A huge win boosted their standings in the updated World Cup points table with eight points in seven games.
Hashmatullah Shahidi-led side became the only fifth team to register four or more wins in the 2023 edition of the tournament. They are currently placed in the fifth position with eight points, on level with giants Australia and New Zealand but still maintain a negative net run rate.
Afghanistan surpassed Pakistan in the points table to further heat the race for the semifinal. With the tournament reaching its final stages, Afghanistan stand a remarkable chance to secure knockout qualification with the help of some memorable wins.
Meanwhile, bottom-placed England will clash against their traditional rivals Australia in the next game of the tournament on Saturday. A defeat will end England's World Cup campaign (hopes for semifinal) but a win will benefit the likes of Afghanistan and New Zealand in the points table.
World Cup 2023 Points Table after Afghanistan vs Netherlands match
| Teams | Matches played | Won | Lost | Tied | No Result | Points | Net Run Rate (NRR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2.102 |
| South Africa | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2.290 |
| Australia | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0.970 |
| New Zealand | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0.484 |
| Afghanistan | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | -0.330 |
| Pakistan | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | -0.024 |
| Sri Lanka | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -1.162 |
| Netherlands | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -1.398 |
| Bangladesh | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1.446 |
| England | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1.652 |
Afghanistan will return to action on November 7 when they clash against five-time champions Australia in Mumbai in a tough game. On the other hand, Netherlands' hope for the semifinal will end if they lose their next game against England in Pune on November 8.
