New Delhi: It would be a cricket lover’s dream come true to have an India Pakistan semi-final match in the ongoing 2019 World Cup. Whenever the two teams have clashed there has been nothing but fireworks on grounds.
However, the chances of India meeting Pakistan in semis were considerably reduced when India lost to England at Birmingham. But all hopes are not lost.
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Pakistan beat Afghanistan in a nerve-cracking match at Leeds and have somehow kept the hopes alive. They had moved to the fourth position in the points table but were pushed down to fifth after England’s win against India.
So what are the chances that we fans get a Diwali in July with India meeting Pakistan in the semi-final? Let’s go over the statistics.
Match Statistics
India have two matches left. They play Bangladesh today and Sri Lanka on July 6. They are currently at the second position and will be eyeing for pole position with two wins.
Pakistan meet Bangladesh on July 5. They will have to beat the latter with a huge margin so that they get a huge net run rate boost.
Third-ranked England face fourth-ranked New Zealand next on July 3. It’s a do-or-die clash for both the teams. Both the teams need this win to book a semi-final berth for them.
Pakistan’s chances of reaching semis
Now, let’s talk about Pakistan’s chances of reaching semi-finals. Pakistan has a chance if India loses both the matches and England too loses against New Zealand. Additionally, they will have to beat Bangladesh with a huge margin. It is important to note here that if India had beat England their chances would have been slightly higher.
Frankly, chances of an India-Pakistan semi-final look pretty slim right now. But we can hope for reiteration of 2011 World Cup semi-final clash between the two cricketing rivals. India has beat Pakistan every single time they have met in any World Cup and it will fun to watch the men-in-blue do it again.
Ms Kalinga