PORT ELIZABETH (South Africa), Feb 27: England can still qualify for the World Cup Super Six if they lose their final Group ‘A’ match to Australia on Sunday.

With four teams vying for the two remaining qualification places behind Australia, the situation at the top of the table is tense going into the final few days of the first round.

Assuming Zimbabwe do not lose to Holland on Friday, the following scenarios are possible.

If England lose to Australia they will need India to beat Pakistan and Pakistan to defeat Zimbabwe. In that case three teams will be tied on 12 points (England, Pakistan and Zimbabwe) having all beaten each other. That means third place will be decided on net run rate.

Regardless of whether England beat Australia on Sunday they would still be eliminated if Zimbabwe won their remaining two matches against Holland and Pakistan.

England’s decision to boycott their fixture in Harare would then come back to haunt them as the forfeit is viewed as a Zimbabwe win — the first criteria by which teams locked on the same number of points are separated.

England will finish third in the standings if they beat Australia, India defeat Pakistan, and Pakistan beat Zimbabwe.

If England beat Australia and Pakistan defeat both India and Zimbabwe, the three teams finish level on 16 points and run rate would decide which two advanced along with the Australians.

Any other pattern of results will see England flying home from South Africa early next week.—Reuters