The Pakistan vs. New Zealand encounter in the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023, scheduled for November 4 at Bangalore's M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, faces a looming threat from anticipated rain. The match is set to commence at 10 am, with rain expected to intermittently start around 11 am.
Weather forecasts are indicating a substantial 70% to 80% likelihood of rain during Saturday afternoon in Bengaluru, which could potentially have an impact on the game's outcome.
Pakistan is in dire need of a convincing victory against New Zealand this week. A win by a margin of 84 runs could propel Pakistan ahead of New Zealand in the tournament standings. Chasing down the target in 35 overs could also provide them with an advantage.
In the unfortunate event of a match being washed out due to inclement weather, both teams would receive one point each. However, it's important to note that a washout wouldn't affect net run rate calculations.
Meanwhile, South Africa's resounding 190-run victory over New Zealand in the 32nd match has slightly improved Pakistan's prospects. Babar Azam and his team face a challenging path to the World Cup semi-finals, with several obstacles to overcome.
To secure a place in the knockout stage, Pakistan must emerge victorious in their remaining matches. Ideally, they should defeat New Zealand in the upcoming game and hope for a Black Caps loss against Sri Lanka.
If New Zealand loses their matches, they would conclude the group stage with eight points. Pakistan can qualify for the knockout stage with 10 points if they emerge victorious in their next two matches.
But if the games between Pakistan and New Zealand is washed out then pakistan cricket teams chances of qualifying for semifinals nose dive. They would have to rely on Sri Lanka beating New Zealand by a big margin and along with it win the game against England too with a big margin; in order to have a chance at qualifying.
Currently, Pakistan holds the fifth spot with six points, while New Zealand occupies the fourth place with eight points.