England must win three matches to book semifinal place

England suffered a shock defeat to Sri Lanka on Friday which damages their hopes of winning the World Cup for the first time, report agencies.

The loss is England's second of the group stage but it is not fatal. The pre-tournament favourites remain third in the table on eight points with the top four teams progressing to the semi-finals.

However, their chances are made significantly harder by the fact their three remaining games are against Australia, India and New Zealand, arguably their three biggest rivals for the title.

England would have to win all three games to guarantee a semi-final place, although two wins would likely be enough because of their superior net run-rate - the method used to separate teams level on points.

Similarly, one win could be enough for Eoin Morgan's men but they would be relying on results to go in their favour.

However, England have not beaten Australia, New Zealand or India in the World Cup since 1992.

With this win Sri Lanka jumped to the fifth place in the World Cup points table and are now just two points adrift of pre-tournament favourites England.

The top four teams after the league stage advance to the semifinals, and suddenly those top four spots aren't being perceived as predictable.

England does have a superior record in recent seasons after a major strategic overhaul following its group-stage exit in 2015. It's an attacking revolution that has been designed to peak for England to claim its first World Cup title on home soil.

And that's what Morgan is relying on to lift his team after the deflating loss in Yorkshire. England's emphatic tournament-opening win over South Africa at the Oval was followed by an upset loss to Pakistan.

But England rebounded to beat Bangladesh, West Indies and Afghanistan. Morgan set a world record with 17 sixes in his 148 against Afghanistan, and England improved its own mark to 25 sixes as it posted 397-6, the highest total so far in the tournament.

But England's rivals will smack their lips at the sight of the hosts buckling under pressure, which they did when, in pursuit of a modest target of 233, they folded from 170 for five to 212 all out.

Could defeat actually be a blessing in disguise?

While England, as hosts and favourites, might have expected to win the group, finishing fourth may be better than second or third for their prospects of reaching the final at Lord's on 14 July.

The first semi-final, on July 9, sees the group winners take on fourth-place at Old Trafford, with second and third meeting at Edgbaston on July 11.

England's style of cricket is arguably more suited to Old Trafford, where skipper Eoin Morgan broke the one-day sixes record earlier this week, than Edgbaston which may favour the likes of India with their spin bowling attack.