In the T20 World Cup, Pakistan faces an uphill battle to secure a spot in the semi-finals, currently holding the fifth position with eight points in as many matches. To reach the semi-finals, they must win their last fixture against England at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on November 11.
However, their chances are marred by a significant Net Run Rate (NRR) disadvantage. Pakistan's NRR is +0.036, while New Zealand, after a recent win, boasts an impressive +0.743 NRR.
To qualify, Pakistan needs a miraculous performance, especially considering NRR calculations are dynamic. The outcome will depend on the runs scored by both Pakistan and England in their final match.
Scenario 1: Batting First
- If Pakistan scores 300 runs, they must beat England by around 287 runs, requiring England to be bowled out for only 13 runs.
- For a score of 400 runs, Pakistan needs to beat England by approximately 300 runs, implying England must be bowled out for under 100 runs.
- If Pakistan scores 500 runs, they need to beat England by approximately 390 runs, with England getting bowled out for around 110 runs.
Scenario 2: Bowling First
- Pakistan's only hope lies in batting first and scoring big, as bowling first puts them out of the race.
- If England scores less than 100 runs, Pakistan needs to chase it down in approximately 2.3 overs.
- If England scores around 300 runs, Pakistan must chase it down in approximately 6 overs.
The path to the semi-finals for Pakistan involves not only winning against England but achieving a substantial victory margin to address the NRR gap, making the upcoming match a crucial and challenging encounter.
