In a thrilling encounter, Pakistan suffered a one-wicket defeat against South Africa in the 2023 World Cup, marking their fourth loss in the tournament.
However, despite the setbacks, Pakistan’s World Cup journey is far from over. Let’s assess their current standing and the path to potential semi-final qualification.
Presently, Pakistan occupies the sixth position on the points table with four points. Sri Lanka shares the same points tally but boasts a superior net run rate and has an additional match in hand. Following closely is Afghanistan in seventh place with four points and a slightly lower net run rate, but like Sri Lanka, they also have an extra game to play.
For Pakistan to secure a spot in the semi-finals, they must win their remaining three matches against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and England, accumulating a total of five wins and ten points. However, their fate is intertwined with the outcomes of other matches. Here’s a scenario for their qualification:
1. India and South Africa must win all their remaining matches, accumulating eight and seven wins, respectively, depending on the result of their encounter in Kolkata.
2. New Zealand should endure defeats in all four of their remaining games, concluding with only four wins and eight points.
3. Australia must win over New Zealand but lose their remaining three matches against England, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, getting eight points.
4. Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, each with two wins, should not exceed two more wins, capping their points at eight.
In this intricate scenario, with New Zealand, Australia, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka all ending with eight points, Pakistan would claim the third position with ten points. This is assuming that England, Bangladesh, or the Netherlands do not reach ten points by winning all their remaining games.
While it may seem complex, it is still possible. Pakistan have a chance to advance to the semi-finals with strategic wins and a bit of luck.
