WIth 24 matches done, the 2023 ODI World Cup is halfway through. And right from major upsets to some stunning show with the bat and the ball, it has been nothing short of surprises.
With all teams having played 5 games, there is a fair idea of potential semifinalists, starting with table-toppers and hosts India.
The Men in Blue have won 5 out of their 5 games and sit comfortably at the top with 10 points. They are just a win away from booking a semifinal berth.
South Africa have won 5 games while New Zealand have 4 victories to their name, with one loss respectively.
The Kiwis face Australia next and it can be one of their toughest challenges so far.
If they can manage to ace their next two games, with already a positive net run-rate, they should be through to the knockouts.
The real battle is for the third and fourth spots.
Along with South Africa and Australia, Pakistan still remain in the fray.
But chances are extremely thin, especially with the form Australia have taken up after two consecutive defeats.
The remaining five teams, which include defending champions England, are all but out of contention for the final four unless they win all their remaining clashes and the top order of the table suffers a terrible collapse.
Given the season of upsets this World Cup, favourites to make it to semifinals have been replaced by teams who have unexpectedly defeated them.
It began with the Dutch. They toppled the mighty South Africa, the Proteas' only loss so far.
And then came the biggest upset of all. Afghanistan, who had not won a single World Cup game since 2015, reigned supreme over Jos Buttler's England.
Powered by that humongous victory, Afghanistan knocked down neighbours Pakistan for the first time in the one-day format.
On October 26, England was virtually knocked out of the competition with an eight-wicket defeat at the hands of Kusal Mendis' Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka still remain in the semis race, though a marginal chance.
But fans and cricket analysts have repeatedly complained how the World Cup is to yet to take on its full form, be exciting, give some edge-of-the-seat thrillers.
Apart from the four upsets, only one match has gone down to the wire, the one between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on October 27.
But that has not deterred players from creating and shattering records.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has led the record-making in the 2023 edition of the marquee tournament.
With his ton against Afghanistan, Sharma surpassed maestro Sachin Tendulkar to score the most number of centuries in an ODI World Cup i.e. seven.
'Hitman' Sharma has also hit 564 sixes in his international career, the most by any player in history.
David Warner and Rohit Sharma have also had the distinction of being the two batters to reach 1000 runs in ODI World Cups by utilising just 19 innings to achieve the milestone.
On October 19, 2023, Virat Kohli became the fastest batter to achieve 26,000 runs in his international career with the fewest innings (567) and 511 matches involved.
South African Aiden Markram smashed a century in merely 49 balls versus Sri Lanka but Australia's Glenn Maxwell went past him on October 25 to complete his ton in just 40 balls.
Maxwell now holds the record for the fastest-ever hundred in an ODI World Cup.
Markram's team also holds the record for the highest total by a team in a World Cup created against Sri Lanka (428).
In the same game, apart from Markram, Rassie van der Dussen and Quinton de Kock also smashed centuries.
It was just the fourth instance when three players of the same team scored centuries in one innings in an ODI World Cup.
Australia's massive 309-run win over Netherlands was the biggest ever in the history of the ODI World Cup.
Meanwhile, the only win Pakistan have managed so far in the tournament and it came against Sri Lanka, chasing a mammoth 345.
Babar's men made history when they emerged victorious, becoming the first team to successfully chase down a total that big in ODI World Cup history.
Interestingly, they also lost to Afghanistan defending a 270+ total, something that had never happened to them ever before.
South Africa's Quinton de Kock, who has 3 centuries in 5 games, is the leading top-scorer (407 runs), followed by India's Virat Kohli who has amassed 354 runs.
David Warner is third with 332 runs and Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has completed 311 runs.
There have been three 5-wicket hauls in the World Cup so far. Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi and India's Mohammed Shami's figures are identical, also the best so far (5/54).
Blackcaps' Mitchell Santner is second with his 5/59 against Netherlands.
Adam Zampa of Australia currently leads the pack with 13 wickets in 5 games.
Mitchell Santer has 12 wickets from 5 outings followed by India's Jasprit Bumrah who has scalped 11 in 5 matches, including his best 4/39 figures so far in the event.
