New York, June 10 (UNI) The T20 World Cup 2024 is proving to be a rollercoaster ride, with Pakistan’s second consecutive loss shaking up the competition. Their chances of reaching the Super 8 stage are hanging by a thread.
England is in a similar tight spot after Scotland’s impressive victory over Oman, and India’s thrilling win against Pakistan in New York.
Back in 2022, Pakistan and England battled it out in the finals, with England emerging as the champions in Australia. Fast forward to now, both teams are staring at the possibility of an early exit.
In Group B, Scotland is sitting pretty at the top with five points from three matches. Their stellar performance, especially the commanding win over Oman, has solidified their lead.
England, on the other hand, has only managed to secure a point from a rain-affected match against Scotland in their opener. Following that, they faced a defeat against Australia. Meanwhile, Scotland notched up victories against Namibia and Oman.
With just two games left, England can at best reach five points. However, Scotland’s swift chase of Oman’s total of 150/7 in only 13.1 overs means England needs big wins to surpass Scotland’s net run rate (NRR).
Australia, with two matches left, can book their place in the Super 8 by winning at least one game, leaving only one spot up for grabs from Group B. Scotland’s high NRR gives them a crucial edge. England must win both their remaining matches convincingly and hope Scotland doesn’t pull off an upset against Australia in their final game.
For Pakistan, the path ahead is tough. They need victories in their remaining matches against Canada and Ireland and must hope for favourable outcomes in other group games to make it through. With no points from two games and an NRR of -0.150, the pressure is on.
Captain Babar Azam emphasized the critical nature of the upcoming matches, saying, “We have to win the last two matches. We will sit and discuss our mistakes but look forward to the last two matches.”
The stakes couldn’t be higher for Pakistan and England as they fight to keep their Super 8 dreams alive. Fans are on the edge of their seats, eagerly awaiting the upcoming matches to see if these top teams can turn their fortunes around.
