Sunday was a big day for Pakistan. The three matches in Group 2 were said to determine their chances of reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 World T20 Cup. Defeats to India and then Zimbabwe have left Pakistan with plenty of room to see how their other opponents in the group will perform. For most of Sunday, Pakistan fans were jubilant. Bangladesh claimed a thriller against Zimbabwe after the recent drama, while the Babar Azam-led side opened their account in the tournament with a win against the Netherlands. However, the team that had to settle for a place in the main round did not go their way as India missed out on the top spot after their first loss of the tournament, a 5-wicket loss to South Africa in Perth. So, where did Pakistan’s semi-final chances go after India’s defeat?
In Group 2, India were in the driver’s seat and needed only a win to qualify for the semi-finals. However, South Africa stunned the Men in Blue as they took over the top of the table with their win in Perth and are now clear favorites to finish top of the group. India and Bangladesh top the table respectively, separated only by net run-rate. An NRR of +0.844 gives India an advantage but also makes Wednesday’s match between India and Bangladesh even more important.
Can Pakistan reach T20 World Cup semi-finals after India’s loss?
Notably, they need to win their last two matches – against South Africa on November 3 and Bangladesh on November 6 – to allow them to finish with the maximum six points. However, as India’s performance fell short of its target, Pakistan fell short by six points. Their expectations now depended more and more on other factors.
Their win against the Proteas will not only give them the top spot in the table, but they also need to win their last two matches by big margins to stand a chance in terms of NRR in the battle between teams with six points.
Remaining matches of Group 2
November 2: Zimbabwe v Netherlands, Adelaide Oval
November 2: India vs Bangladesh, Adelaide Oval
November 3: Pakistan v South Africa, SCG, Sydney
November 6: South Africa vs Netherlands, Adelaide Oval
November 6: Pakistan vs Bangladesh, Adelaide Oval
November 6: Zimbabwe v India, MCG, Melbourne