Can Pakistan Reach World Cup Semi-Finals: Know Here How Can Pakistan Still Qualify After Defeat vs Afghanistan
Can Pakistan Reach World Cup Semi-Finals: Know Here How Can Pakistan Still Qualify After Defeat vs Afghanistan
Pakistan’s World Cup 2023 campaign is in shatters. The former champions are in danger of missing out on the semi-final berth after suffering 3 defeats on the trot with the latest coming against lower-ranked Afghanistan. Pakistan were expected to beat Afghanistan in Chennai on Monday but Babar Azam’s side came up with a listless display with the ball and on the field before going down by 8 wickets.
Questions are being asked about the Pakistan team’s attitude on the field and Babar Azam’s captaincy amid rumours of a rift in the team and the defeat to Afghanistan has only added fuel to the fire. Pakistan looked jaded on the field as they failed to defend a par total of 282 on what was a good batting pitch in Chennai.
Afghanistan cruised past the finish line with three of their top 4 batters hitting fifty-plus scores. Afghanistan had an over to spare and 8 wickets in hand when they scripted the historic victory, their first over Pakistan in 8 attempts.
Pakistan began their campaign with 2 wins on the bounce, which included a World Cup record chase against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad. However, their campaign hit a roadblock when they were hammered by India in Ahmedabad. Defeats to Australia and Afghanistan followed as Pakistan seem to have lost steam.
Pakistan have time to bounce back, but it’s not going to be easy as they have only stiffer tests from now on. Pakistan’s fate is not in their own hands anymore.
WORLD CUP 2023 POINTS TABLE:
Can Pakistan Reach World Cup Semi-Finals: Know Here How Can Pakistan Still Qualify After Defeat vs Afghanistan
Pakistan are currently in the 5th spot with 4 points in their first 5 matches. They are 6 points adrift of table-toppers India but a crowded mid-table is not bad news for Babar Azam and his men. Australia’s ordinary run and England’s poor showing in the World Cup 2023 have made things interesting in the race to the semi-finals.
In the 2019 World Cup, New Zealand qualified for the semi-final at the 4th spot with 11 points, having a better Net Run Rate than Pakistan who also finished with 11 points.
It looks as if 10 points might be enough to sneak into the semi-finals.
PAKISTAN’S REMAINING FIXTURES
vs South Africa in Chennai on Friday, October 27
Vs Bangladesh in Kolkata on Tuesday, October 31
vv New Zealand in Bengaluru on Saturday, November 4
vs England in Kolkata on Saturday, November 11
No team has been ruled out of the semi-final race yet in what is turning out to be a closely fought race for the 4th spot at the moment. Afghanistan have put themselves into the mix with sensational victories against former champions England and Pakistan.
4 wins in next 4 Matches
If Pakistan win their next four matches, they will get to 12 points at the end of group stages.
In this case, they have a realistic chance of qualifying for the semifinals. As South Africa and New Zealand are set to play each other, Pakistan do have a chance to get to the last four if they better the net run rate of either Proteas or the Black Caps.
They can also qualify on the aforementioned scenario if India loses three of their next four, Australia lose two of their next five – but those have other implications as well.
3 wins in next 4 Matches
This makes things tougher for Babar Azam and co. to get to the knockout stage. Mathematically Pakistan can still qualify for the semifinals on 10 points, but that would require India losing all four matches, South Africa losing four of their next five matches.
Even if India, New Zealand and South Africa go through, in order to see Pakistan in the last four, Australia will have to succumb to defeat against the likes of Netherlands, Bangladesh, Afghanistan – which is never impossible, but improbable.
Any fewer wins in the remaining four matches will mean the exit for Pakistan from the tournament.
(With inputs from agencies)