Cricket World Cup 2015 Tables: Latest Standings, Results and Qualified Teams
South Africa booked their spot in the quarter-finals of the 2015 World Cup after a comfortable 146-run win over the United Arab Emirates, joining a clutch of illustrious teams already confirmed as participants in the last eight of the competition.
New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India are the other five sides that will definitely contest the knockout stages, with Ireland, Pakistan and the West Indies vying for the two remaining spots in what should be a thrilling Pool B finale.
Here’s a look at how things stand in each of the groups and a closer examination of a couple of the sides that will be hoping to sample glory come the end of the tournament.
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| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Tied | N/R | Points | Run Rate |
| New Zealand | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | +3.090 |
| Sri Lanka | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | +0.371 |
| Australia | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | +1.597 |
| Bangladesh | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | +0.211 |
| England | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1.001 |
| Afghanistan | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1.881 |
| Scotland | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.769 |
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Tied | N/R | Points | Run Rate |
| India | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | +2.157 |
| South Africa | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | +1.707 |
| Pakistan | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | -0.194 |
| Ireland | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | -1.014 |
| West Indies | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -0.511 |
| Zimbabwe | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -0.595 |
| United Arab Emirates | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1.961 |
New Zealand
The Black Caps have definitely been the most entertaining team to watch at this tournament to date. With the belligerent hitting of Brendon McCullum at the top of the order, they’ve typically got off to blistering starts in their matches. His powerful strokes have entertained fans around the globe.
As noted by Cricket Record, the New Zealand skipper seem to thrive in this tournament:
The team haven’t just impressed with the bat either. In Tim Southee and Trent Boult, New Zealand have two of the best exponents of new-ball bowling in the world, while Daniel Vettori is an elite spin bowler who takes wickets regularly and is very hard to score off.
The steady head of Kane Williamson at three brings another important facet to this XI, but he's been suffering with illness recently. However, as revealed by the team’s official Twitter account, the batsman looks to have gotten over the worst of it:
You need a little bit of everything to win this tournament, and in terms of playing staff, the Black Caps seem to have the lot. Their batting is adaptable and explosive, the bowling line-up has an array of different options, and they are one of the competition's sharpest teams in the field. They’ve even already overcome the challenge of beating fierce rivals Australia.
You just wonder whether they have the mentality to go all the way in this competition. They’ll be roared on by home crowds all the way, but New Zealand are a team renowned for toiling when the pressure bites on the biggest stage. This tournament would be the perfect place to shed that stigma.
India
Despite being far from convincing in their warm-up matches ahead of the defence of their title, India have been magnificent in their group games. Like New Zealand, they currently have a perfect record and boast a team that is superbly balanced.
The most encouraging thing about this group of players is their temperament. As showcased in matches against South Africa, Pakistan and the West Indies, India seem to raise their game against the better opponents. That’s something that bodes well as they gear up for the knockout rounds.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan thinks they have a brilliant chance of defending their title:
While there were plenty who tipped India’s wristy bowlers to struggle on the hard, flat pitches Down Under, they’ve actually done quite the opposite. The seamers have found a way to prise opposition wickets, and their diligence with the ball provides great insurance to the batsmen, who have consequently played with a real fluidity.
Another important factor for this team has been the raucous support they’ve received at various venues, as noted by Freddie Wilde of ESPN Cricinfo:
India definitely harbour a mental edge over the other teams at this competition, given a sizeable section of their current squad were crucial to their triumph four years ago. That experience will be vital to their pursuit of retaining their mantle as world champions.
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