Former England captain Michael Vaughan has suggested the possibility of an India-Pakistan World Cup 2023 semi-final following Australia's recent win over Afghanistan at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Vaughan shared his views on the matter on a social media platform, hinting at the potential clash.
India has dominated the tournament, securing the top spot in the standings with a flawless winning streak of eight matches. Their upcoming fixture is against the Netherlands at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is currently fighting for the fourth semi-final spot, sitting fifth in the table with eight points and a net run rate of +0.036. They are set to face England in their last league match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on November 11.
In the recent match between Australia and Afghanistan, Glenn Maxwell's remarkable unbeaten 201 played a pivotal role in Australia's triumphant run. Despite facing cramps, hamstring, and back issues, Maxwell displayed exceptional resilience, leading Australia to a thrilling victory after a precarious start.
Australia skipper Pat Cummins then revealed that it was the team physiotherapist Nick Jones who enabled Maxwell to play on.
"I thought he was going off. So, I kind of signalled to Zamps (Adam Zampa) to get down here cause yeah, he (Maxwell) literally couldn't move and then I think the physio was out there obviously. He kind of convinced Maxi that if he came off, it might be worse off. So, try and hang out there, stand up, and that's probably your best bet,” he said.
The intense competition for the semi-final spots has added an exciting dimension to the ongoing World Cup, with teams like New Zealand and Afghanistan also in contention for a spot in the knockout stages. As the tournament progresses, fans eagerly anticipate the high-stakes matches and the potential showdown between cricketing giants India and Pakistan in the semi-finals.
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