Pakistan's World Cup 2023's semifinal scenario has become the talk of the town, especially after New Zealand's emphatic win over Sri Lanka at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru on November 9. New Zealand's win has nearly ousted Pakistan from semifinal contention, however, Babar Azam's brigade still have a match in hand. Pakistan will face England in their last league match of the World Cup on November 11 in a bid to make it to the semifinal, which looks nearly impossible. The scenario demands Pakistan to either score an overwhelming 400-450 runs if batting first and then restrict England to under 100, or chase a set target in just 2.4 overs if batting second – tasks seen as impractical.
Meanwhile, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam is still hopeful for team's semifinal qualification. Babar revealed a masterplan and shut debate over Pakistan's semifinal qualification scenario.
In the pre-match press conference on Friday, November 10, Babar, "Anything can happen in cricket. We will try to finish the tournament on a high note."
He also delved into the strategic details to boost their NRR and emphasised on the significance of first 10 overs.
"If Fakhar Zaman plays for 20-30 overs, we can achieve what's required. The role of Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Rizwan will also be important during the match," Babar added.
"Right now, my focus is on the next match. I will think about the future of captaincy later," Babar concluded.
Pakistan's journey in the World Cup so far has been a mix of highs and lows. They showed promise with initial victories against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka but faced setbacks with consecutive four losses to teams like India, Australia, Afghanistan, and South Africa. However, they did bounce back with resounding wins against Bangladesh and New Zealand, but to only find them in tenterhook in the semifinal contention. They must produce what would be a miraculous performance to stay in the hunt of semi-final berth. Meanwhile, New Zealand's position looks secure as they prepare possibly for a semi-final clash with India.
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