Final set of tickets for Cricket World Cup semifinals, final to go live today

MUMBAI: The final set of tickets for ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 knockout matches will go live on Thursday, announced the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday. The knockout phase of the tournament will start from November 15.

"As the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 reaches its business end, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will release a final batch of tickets on Thursday," said a statement from BCCI.

The tickets for the three marquee games - 1st semi-final (November 15 at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium), 2nd semi-final (November 16 on Kolkata's Eden Gardens) and the all-important final on November 19 at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium will go live at 8:00 PM on November 9 on the official ticketing website at https://tickets.cricketworldcup.com.

This will be the last chance for cricket fans wanting to experience the magic and thrill of the World Cup and to witness in person the crowning of a new champion, the statement added.

India, South Africa and Australia are the teams that have qualified for the knockouts till yet. India is at the top with eight wins in eight games (16 points) followed by South Africa, who have six wins in eight matches (12 points) and Australia, who have a similar win-loss record as SA (12 points).

The battle for the final semifinal spot is on between New Zealand, Pakistan and Afghanistan, who are at fourth, fifth and sixth spot with eight points and four wins. The net-run-rate serves as a criteria that separates them.

All of these teams have a league game to go and it is important for them to win it and the other results to go in their way as well. New Zealand will take on Sri Lanka at Bengaluru on Thursday.

It is a battle between Kiwis' aspirations for the CWC semifinal spot and Lankan Lions' aim to gain a spot in ICC Champions Trophy 2025, a privilege reserved for the top eight teams of this tournament, including hosts Pakistan.