England reaches T20 World Cup semifinal, Australia knocked out

The four-run margin of Australia’s win over Afghanistan on Friday meant England would have finished above the host on net run rate if it could just win in Sydney.

England’s captain Jos Buttler (L) and team mate Alex Hales run between wickets. | Photo Credit: AFP

England qualified for the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinals as the second-placed team in Group 1 after a four-wicket win against Sri Lanka in Sydney on Saturday.

The four-run margin of Australia’s win over Afghanistan on Friday meant England would have finished above the host on net run rate if it could just win in Sydney. England joins New Zealand from Group 1.

The impressive win over the Black Caps resurrected England’s campaign, which was struggling when a stuttering victory over Afghanistan was followed by a shock loss to Ireland in England’s first two games. The washout against Australia had complicated matters briefly.

This is England’s third consecutive appearance in the knockouts of the T20 World Cup. It reached the final in 2016 when it lost to the West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Then in 2021, New Zealand ended England’s hopes with a dramatic semifinal victory in Abu Dhabi.

The 2022 T20 World Cup semifinals will be played on November 9 and 10, in Sydney and Adelaide respectively.