After a resounding NRR-boosting victory against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru on Thursday, New Zealand has positioned itself in the best possible scenario for the semi-final clash against India at Wankhede Stadium on November 15. Starting the day at the fourth spot, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Afghanistan face a three-way battle, with New Zealand securing a lead with an upper hand in NRR. In the 25th over, New Zealand restricted Sri Lanka to just 171 runs, chasing a target.
On Saturday (November 11), Pakistan’s victory against England in their final group stage game will bring them level on points with New Zealand in the NRR department. However, bridging the gap seems nearly impossible for Pakistan given the current scenario, where New Zealand holds an NRR of +0.743, while Pakistan trails at +0.036.
For Pakistan to overcome this substantial deficit:
- If England scores 300 runs while batting first, Pakistan needs to limit them to 13 runs.
- If England sets a target of 350 runs, Pakistan must restrict them to 62 runs.
- If England achieves a score of 400, Pakistan should limit them to 112 runs.
Fate smiles upon Pakistan, finding themselves in a situation similar to the 2019 edition, where they needed an astonishing margin of over 300 runs against New Zealand to secure a semi-final spot. Despite managing only 315 runs in their innings, they defended it fiercely, clinching victory against Bangladesh, who fell short at just seven runs in reply within 1.5 overs.
SEO Title: “Cricket Thrills: New Zealand’s Rise and Pakistan’s Odds in the World Cup Drama””
“Challenges Mount for Afghanistan in the Cricket World
Afghanistan faces even tougher challenges in the cricket world. Hashmatullah Shahidi’s team currently sits in the sixth position with an NRR of -0.338. Until two nights ago, their destiny seemed within their grasp as two consecutive wins propelled them ahead of both New Zealand and Pakistan, securing the fourth spot.
During the match against Australia, they seemed on track when they restricted the opponents to 91/7 while chasing a target of 291/5. However, Glenn Maxwell’s incredible double century changed the game. To reach the coveted fourth spot and surpass New Zealand’s NRR, Afghanistan needs to defeat South Africa on Friday by a margin of 439 runs (assuming they score 500 runs in their innings).
