The World Cup 2023 has entered its final stretch of group stage matches. India and South Africa are the two teams who have secured their qualification for the semi-finals, while Bangladesh and a hapless England have already been eliminated.
For all other teams still in the hunt, the qualification scenario involves various permutations. Here we take a look at where the 10 teams stand, as of Sunday.
Remaining fixtures of 2023 World Cup
Monday, November 6: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka, Delhi
Tuesday, November 7: Afghanistan v Australia, Mumbai
Wednesday, November 8: England v Netherlands, Pune
Thursday, November 9: New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Bengaluru
Friday, November 10: Afghanistan v South Africa, Ahmedabad
Saturday, November 11: Australia v Bangladesh, Pune; England v Pakistan, Kolkata
Sunday, November 12: India v Netherlands, Bengaluru
India (14 points) and South Africa (12 points)
India and South Africa are the only teams who have qualified for the semi-finals as of now and have two matches left – one game against each other on Sunday after which South Africa play Afghanistan and India take on Netherlands.
Although they have qualified for the semis, both will be looking to top the points table as the group winner will play the fourth-ranked team in the semi-final.
Australia (10 points)
Australia are in a strong position to be the third team to qualify for the semis and not be dependent on other results. Their last two games are against Afghanistan and Bangladesh. They need only one more win to finish in the top four as it will get them to 12 points.
Even if Australia lose both games, they are still likely to make it to the last four because of their healthy net run rate (+0.924).
Australia can be eliminated if they lose their remaining two games with a big margin and other teams like Afghanistan, New Zealand and Pakistan win their remaining games to reach 10 points. For context, Australia are currently 160 runs ahead of New Zealand on NRR.
Afghanistan (8 points)
With two games left (against Australia and South Africa), Afghanistan are another team not dependent on the other teams. The best scenario for them to reach the semis is – win the remaining two games and get to 12 points which ensures a semi-final berth.
If they lose one game and win the other one to get to 10 points, they will need Sri Lanka to beat New Zealand, Bangladesh to beat Sri Lanka and England to beat Pakistan. In this scenario, they can qualify without worrying about NRR.
If it comes down to a NRR tie with Pakistan (NRR +0.036) or New Zealand (+0.398), Afghanistan are unlikely to make it to the semis because their NRR is currently very low at -0.330.
New Zealand (8 points)
After four defeats in a row, New Zealand no longer have the situation in their control, but their healthy NRR (+0.398) might help them in reaching the semi-finals.
The best scenario to be in the top four is for them to win their last match against Sri Lanka, Pakistan either lose to England or don’t win by a big margin and Afghanistan lose at least one match and don’t win the other game by a heavy margin.
New Zealand are currently approximately 130 runs ahead of Pakistan. What that means is even if New Zealand win a close game against Sri Lanka, Pakistan will need to beat England by about 130 runs or chase the target in 28 overs to topple New Zealand’s NRR. That’s assuming there are no upsets in the games involving Australia and Afghanistan.
Pakistan (8 points)
Pakistan are back in the contention after two wins against Bangladesh and New Zealand but they are still well behind New Zealand on net run rate (approximately 130 runs at this stage).
Pakistan’s best scenario to reach the semis is for New Zealand to lose to Sri Lanka, Afghanistan to lose at least one game and their NRR stays low, and Pakistan to beat England. In this scenario, Pakistan will qualify without worrying about New Zealand’s NRR.
There is rain forecast in Bengaluru this week for the game between Sri Lanka and New Zealand. If that game is washed out, Pakistan will need only a win against England to reach the semis (provided Afghanistan don’t create an upset).
If New Zealand beat Sri Lanka and have a NRR clash with Pakistan, then Pakistan will need to beat England by a heavy margin. That heavy margin will be determined after the NZ vs SL result.
Let’s assume NZ win by the closest margin possible (ie 1 run or 0 balls remaining), Pakistan will need to beat England by approximately 130 runs or chase with about 22 overs left to be ahead of NZ’s NRR. Again, that’s assuming Afghanistan, who have two difficult games against Australia and South Africa, don’t come into play.
Sri Lanka and Netherlands (4 points each)
Both teams are virtually out of the semi-finals race and can qualify only mathematically because of their poor net run rate – Sri Lanka are at -1.162 and Netherlands are at -1.398.
There is a mathematical possibility for Sri Lanka but for that they will need to win their remaining two games (against Bangladesh and New Zealand) by gigantic margins and then hope England beat Pakistan and Afghanistan lose their remaining two games.
In the above scenario, even if Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 200 runs, they will need to beat New Zealand by about 130 runs to stand a chance to qualify for the semis.
Netherlands’ situation is pretty similar, but their NRR is even worse than Sri Lanka. To reach the semis, they will need to win their remaining two games against England and India by heavy margins and then hope the other results go their way.
Bangladesh and England (2 points each)
Both are already eliminated from the semi-finals race. However, both will look to finish in top eight as the hosts Pakistan and top seven teams from this World Cup will qualify for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
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Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The Beach Bum
Director: Harmony Korine
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg
Two stars
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
When December 14-17
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'Avengers: Infinity War'
Dir: The Russo Brothers
Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen
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Five hymns the crowds can join in
Papal Mass will begin at 10.30am at the Zayed Sports City Stadium on Tuesday
Some 17 hymns will be sung by a 120-strong UAE choir
Five hymns will be rehearsed with crowds on Tuesday morning before the Pope arrives at stadium
‘Christ be our Light’ as the entrance song
‘All that I am’ for the offertory or during the symbolic offering of gifts at the altar
‘Make me a Channel of your Peace’ and ‘Soul of my Saviour’ for the communion
‘Tell out my Soul’ as the final hymn after the blessings from the Pope
The choir will also sing the hymn ‘Legions of Heaven’ in Arabic as ‘Assakiroo Sama’
There are 15 Arabic speakers from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in the choir that comprises residents from the Philippines, India, France, Italy, America, Netherlands, Armenia and Indonesia
The choir will be accompanied by a brass ensemble and an organ
They will practice for the first time at the stadium on the eve of the public mass on Monday evening
What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying or online bullying could take many forms such as sending unkind or rude messages to someone, socially isolating people from groups, sharing embarrassing pictures of them, or spreading rumors about them.
Cyberbullying can take place on various platforms such as messages, on social media, on group chats, or games.
Parents should watch out for behavioural changes in their children.
When children are being bullied they they may be feel embarrassed and isolated, so parents should watch out for signs of signs of depression and anxiety
Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017
Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free
Day 1 fixtures (Saturday)
Men 1.45pm, Malaysia v Australia (Court 1); Singapore v India (Court 2); UAE v New Zealand (Court 3); South Africa v Sri Lanka (Court 4)
Women Noon, New Zealand v South Africa (Court 3); England v UAE (Court 4); 5.15pm, Australia v UAE (Court 3); England v New Zealand (Court 4)
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Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
