CRICKET WORLD CUP 2003
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Test Match Special
Thursday, 13 February, 2003, 15:28 GMT
How the World Cup works
For anyone expecting a simple knockout competition, the Cricket World Cup will be a minefield of changing points tallies and complicated tiebreakers.
But help is at hand, with our stage-by-stage guide...
- Teams are divided into two groups in which they play each other once. The top three in each group progress to the Super Six stage.
Teams are awarded four points for a win and two points for a draw or no result.
- If any teams finish equal on points at the end of the group stages, a series of tiebreakers will be used in order until one team emerges superior (see right).
Super Six phase
- The top three teams from Pool A play the top three teams from Pool B, with four points awarded for a win and two for a draw or no result.
- Teams will also carry forward points from the group phase - but their points allocation will be altered to four points for a win and two points for a draw against qualifying teams and one point for a win and half a point for a draw against non-qualifying countries.
- After the nine Super six games are completed, the four teams with the highest number of points qualify for the semi-finals. In the event of a tie, similar tiebreaker rules to the group phase will be employed.
- The top team in the Super Six table plays the fourth-placed team, while second plays third.
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