ISLAMABAD: In a stunning twist of fate, Pakistan’s cricket team could still advance to the ICC World Cup semi-finals, despite four consecutive defeats, by securing victories in their next two matches with substantial margins to boost their run rate after a shocking loss to Afghanistan in India.
Perched at fifth on the points table, Pakistan’s journey began with victories over the Netherlands and Sri Lanka but faltered against India, conceding by seven wickets with 117 balls to spare.
This downturn in fortune continued through subsequent matches against formidable opponents Australia, Afghanistan and South Africa. Nevertheless, a glimmer of hope shone through as Pakistan clinched a victory against Bangladesh by a seven-wicket margin with 105 balls remaining.
This latest performance offers Pakistan a lifeline, indicating that their semi-finals dream is not over yet. It hinges now not just on winning, but on dominating their upcoming encounters to overturn their faltered run rate into a competitive edge.
“To beat New Zealand’s NRR [net run rate], Pakistan need to win by approximately 83 runs or chase in approximately 35 overs against New Zealand,” a cricket statistician, Mazher Arshad, said in a recent social media post. “But both teams will have one more game after that so there could be a new NRR scenario in the last group match.”
Pakistan’s pathway to the ICC World Cup semi-finals is precarious: A loss in either of their forthcoming matches against New Zealand and England would leave their fate hinging on the missteps of competing teams.
The intricate scenario, detailed by the ICC Cricket World Cup India 2023’s official site, outlines that for Pakistan to sneak through, Australia must be defeated in their trio of upcoming matches, New Zealand must falter in their final two, and Afghanistan needs to drop at least two of their last three games.
With the situation still in a state of flux, the top four berths remain within several teams’ reach. India, however, is poised to clinch their semi-final spot should they emerge victorious in their current clash with Sri Lanka.