New Zealand's dominant victory over Sri Lanka in Bengaluru, with a 5-wicket win on Thursday, November 9, has not only positioned them for a potential World Cup semi-final against India but also significantly dampened Pakistan's hopes of advancing, even before their crucial match against England on Saturday.
Pakistan now faces an incredibly steep challenge. To surpass New Zealand and secure a semi-final spot, they must either defeat England by approximately 287 runs or achieve victory with about 284 balls to spare. This scenario, requiring what could be the most remarkable turnaround in World Cup history, puts immense pressure on Babar Azam's team.
The situation for Afghanistan appears even more daunting. Their path to the semi-finals involves defeating South Africa by a staggering margin of around 438 runs. Given the magnitude of this task, Afghanistan's aspirations for a maiden semi-final appearance in the tournament seem slim.
Afghanistan's World Cup journey witnessed a heart-wrenching moment against Australia. Despite having Australia on the ropes at 91/7 while chasing 292, Glenn Maxwell's remarkable innings of an unbeaten 201, crafted with limited mobility due to cramps, snatched victory away from Afghanistan.
Following their loss, several Pakistan fans took to social media to express their shock at Afghanistan's defeat.
In response, Afghan cricketers Naveen-ul-Haq and Rahmanullah Gurbaz have posted cryptic messages on their Instagram stories, seemingly taking a dig at the Pakistan cricket team and its fans.
"Footwork No Footwork But. Program Abhy sahi se warh gaya," Naveen-ul-Haq wrote on his Instagram story.
Gurbaz reposted the story and wrote "Wargyaa".
Pakistan fans slammed the two Afghanistan cricketers with some even calling them 'disgraceful'.
Mathematically Pakistan still has a chance to qualify for the semi-finals but it will require a miracle. Interestingly, the current World Cup has witnessed two extraordinary victories with margins exceeding 300 runs. Australia, a five-time World Cup champion, triumphed over the Netherlands by 309 runs in a match held in Delhi last month. Additionally, earlier this month, India achieved a 302-run victory against Sri Lanka at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium.
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