by: Atika Mehboob TN Sport Pakistan:
Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals in the ICC World Cup 2023 have been reignited after a significant 21-run victory over New Zealand, achieved through the DLS method in Bengaluru on Saturday.
Following this important win, Pakistan’s path to the semi-finals is contingent on a carefully constructed scenario.
To secure a spot in the semi-finals, Pakistan must first triumph over England in their upcoming and final group stage match. Simultaneously, they are banking on Sri Lanka defeating New Zealand and hoping for Afghanistan to lose both or at least one of their remaining two matches against Australia and South Africa. Additionally, Pakistan is keeping a close eye on Afghanistan’s net run rate (NRR), aiming for theirs to remain superior.
In the event that New Zealand prevails against Sri Lanka in their encounter on November 9, the margin of victory becomes critical for Pakistan. In this scenario, assuming New Zealand edges out Sri Lanka by just one run, Pakistan would need to defeat England by a margin of approximately 130 runs.
A positive aspect for Pakistan is the scheduling of their match against England on November 11, which provides them with the advantage of knowing the exact margin of victory required for qualification.
