While it seemed improbable after they had suffered three consecutive defeats, Pakistan are now right back in the hunt for a place in the 2023 ICC World Cup semi-finals. Their chances of advancing further in the competition were significantly increased when they secured a hard-fought win over New Zealand today (4 November), be it DLS-assisted.
Chasing a humongous target of 402 runs in Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium, odds were stacked against Babar Azam’s team, but they managed to produce a remarkable performance when the chips were down.
Courtesy of Fakhar Zaman’s unbeaten 126 off 81 deliveries, Pakistan’s score read 200/1 in 25.3 overs when rain arrived, handing them a 21-run victory via the DLS method.
Now, let’s have a look at how Pakistan can qualify for the semi-finals:
Where Do Pakistan Stand in the Points Table?
Pakistan are currently outside of the top four – placed fifth on the standings with eight points in as many fixtures. Their net run rate (NRR) had a sharp rise after today’s win, and is now +0.036.
Australia (10 points in 7 matches), New Zealand (8 points in 8 matches) and Afghanistan (8 points in 7 matches) are the other three contenders for the last couple of places in the top four.
Current Standings of ICC World Cup 2023.
(Photo: Official ICC World Cup 2023 website)
Whom Will Pakistan Face Next?
Pakistan will enjoy a six-day break to relax and regroup, and perhaps, reconsider strategies, before competing in their last league stage match. It will be against England on 11 November, in Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
Scenario 1: Pakistan Win Their Last Match
Should they win their match against England, Pakistan will finish the league phase with ten points. But their fate will still not solitarily hinge on their performance. This is what they will need from the other contenders:
Condition 1 (New Zealand): Pakistan will ideally require New Zealand to lose their last match against Sri Lanka. If the Kiwis win, they will be tied on 10 points with Pakistan. In that case, Babar’s team will have to beat England by an incredibly big margin to make up for the NRR deficit.
Condition 2 (Australia + Afghanistan): Pakistan will either need Australia to lose their last two matches – against Afghanistan and Bangladesh – by huge margins. Alternatively, they will need Afghanistan to lose one of their last two matches – against Australia and South Africa.
Scenario 2: Pakistan Lose Their Last Match
In case they lose their last match against England, Pakistan might still qualify for the semi-final with just eight points, but it will need a miracle which should satisfy the following conditions:
Condition 1 (New Zealand): The Kiwis will need to lose to Sri Lanka by an enormous margin.
Condition 2 (Afghanistan): In addition, Pakistan will need Afghanistan to lose their last two matches.
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