Pakistan faced a tough defeat against India in their second match of the T20 World Cup 2024 in New York on Sunday, losing by six runs. This loss has put a significant dent in their hopes of advancing to the Super 8 stage of the tournament.
Chasing a modest target of 120 set by India, Pakistan’s key players couldn’t step up. With two consecutive losses, their chances of making it to the Super 8 now hinge on the outcomes of several other matches.
Here is what needs to happen for Pakistan to qualify for the Super 8:
- June 11: Pakistan must defeat Canada.
- June 12: India must defeat the USA.
- June 14: Ireland must defeat the USA.
- June 15: India must defeat Canada.
- June 16: Pakistan must defeat Ireland.
If these results come to pass, Pakistan will have four points from their four matches, while India will top the group with eight points. The USA will also have four points, and both Canada and Ireland will end up with two points each. In this scenario, India will automatically advance to the Super 8. Pakistan and the USA, both having four points, will then rely on their Net Run Rate (NRR) to determine who proceeds. For Pakistan to advance, they need to secure large-margin victories against Canada and Ireland and hope that the USA loses to India and Ireland by substantial margins.
During the match against India, Pakistan started strongly, not losing a wicket in the first four overs. However, their momentum was broken when captain Babar Azam was dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah for 13 runs. Usman Khan, who came in next, supported Mohammad Rizwan but was eventually taken out by Axar Patel. The middle-order batsmen, including Fakhar Zaman (13 off 8), Shadab Khan (4 off 7), and Imad Wasim (15 off 23), failed to form a solid partnership.
The crucial moment of the match was when Bumrah bowled Rizwan for 31 runs. Rizwan appeared to be in good form and seemed likely to guide Pakistan to victory, but his dismissal was pivotal. Pakistan ended their innings at 113-7 in 20 overs. For India, Bumrah claimed three wickets, Hardik Pandya took two, and Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel took one each.
Earlier, Pakistan’s bowlers had performed admirably, restricting India’s batsmen in one of the most eagerly awaited matches of the tournament.
