T20 World Cup: Why Pakistan would want India to win against South Africa

October 29, 2022

Pakistan’s 2022 T20 World Cup campaign in Australia has not got off a start which the Men in Green would have wanted. Two defeats, two last-ball defeats that too (Against India and Zimbabwe), have put Pakistan in a tough spot in the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup, and chances of qualification for the semi-finals doubtful.

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After two matches, Pakistan are placed fifth out of the six teams, with no points to their name but a better Net Run Rate (NRR) (-0.050) than compared to sixth placed Netherlands (-1.625).

Needless to say, Babar Azam and Co will have to win each of their next three games in order to have any hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals. Pakistan play Netherlands on Sunday (30 October), and they will round off the Super 12 stage with games against South Africa (3 November) and Bangladesh (6 November). Three wins would take Pakistan’s total points to six from five matches, but their wins would in fact depend on other results to go in their favour.

There’s no introduction needed when it comes to the India vs Pakistan rivalry in cricket, but this time, Pakistan would be hoping, and backing the Men in Blue to do a favour for them. Should Pakistan beat Netherlands on Sunday, Pakistan would hope India defeat South Africa later on the same day.

To put into context, India are on top of the Group 2 points table with four points (wins against Pakistan and Netherlands), and a win over the Proteas would take Rohit Sharma and Co to six points, and almost closer to the semi-finals. South Africa, meanwhile, endured a washout against Zimbabwe, which meant they dropped a point, and they followed it up with a dominant 104-run win over Bangladesh.

If India beat South Africa, and Pakistan beat Netherlands, then both South Africa and Pakistan would be at three and two points respectively, and the South Africa vs Pakistan contest becomes all the more important, with the loser of that match at the risk of being eliminated.

Additionally, Pakistan would even hope that Zimbabwe and South Africa lose at least two of their remaining three matches. If that’s to happen, both Zimbabwe and South Africa would have five points by the end of the Super 12 stage, and assuming Pakistan win all their three matches, they would have six points in their kitty.

On the contrary, should South Africa beat India and Netherlands, and India beat both Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, in that case both South Africa and India would have excess of over six points, and Pakistan would stand eliminated.

Even one loss in their next three games would put Pakistan’s T20 World Cup campaign in jeopardy, since two wins out of three would take them only to four points, which won’t be enough to advance to the knockout stage.

All in all, Group 2 looks very evenly poised, but Pakistan will have to put their best foot forward and seek a turnaround in their remaining three games, should they have any chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.

Sunday’s (30 October) matches (All times IST)

Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe (8.30 am)

Pakistan vs Netherlands (12.30 pm)

India vs South Africa (4.30 pm)

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