Pakistani cricket team can still qualify for World Cup semi finals: Here's how
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In the World Cup, Pakistan's campaign is teetering after four consecutive defeats. Their fortunes now rely heavily on the outcomes of matches involving Australia.
Specifically, Babar Azam's team hopes for upsets by Afghanistan or Bangladesh against the Australians. Pakistan has played six games, securing only two victories and accumulating four points on the table.
Upcoming matches against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and England are crucial. To stand a chance of qualifying, they must not only win these three remaining matches convincingly but also depend on the results of other games.
Pakistan's most straightforward path to qualification involves Australia losing three of their four games, although this seems unlikely as two of those matches are against weaker opponents like Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
Additionally, Pakistan wishes for New Zealand to win three of their remaining matches, including one against them. If Australia avoids upsets against Bangladesh or Afghanistan but loses to New Zealand, net run rate (NRR) might become a deciding factor.
For Pakistan to secure a spot, the following results are needed: -
Match 27: New Zealand beats Australia -
Match 28: Bangladesh beats Netherlands -
Match 29: India beats England -
Match 30: Sri Lanka beats Afghanistan -
Match 31: Pakistan beats Bangladesh -
Match 32: New Zealand beats South Africa -
Match 33: India beats Sri Lanka -
Match 34: Afghanistan beats Netherlands -
Match 35: Pakistan beats New Zealand -
Match 36: England beats Australia -
Match 37: India beats South Africa -
Match 38: Sri Lanka beats Bangladesh -
Match 39: Australia beats Afghanistan -
Match 40: England beats Netherlands -
Match 41: New Zealand beats Sri Lanka -
Match 42: South Africa beats Afghanistan -
Match 43: Bangladesh beats Australia -
Match 44: Pakistan beats England -
Match 45: India beats Netherlands
If all these results align with Pakistan's wishes, India will finish with 18 points, New Zealand with 14, South Africa with 12, and Pakistan with 10 points. Australia and Sri Lanka would each have 8 points.
If Australia wins against Bangladesh in match 43, as expected, then Pakistan and Australia will both have 10 points. The exact scenario for Pakistan will become clearer in the upcoming week, and their prospects will change according to the results of the upcoming games.
