Of the six teams included in this group, India, Pakistan and New Zealand There are three highly ranked teams (ranked 2nd, 3rd and 4th respectively in the ICC T20I Team Rankings), while Afghanistan, Scotland And Namibia There are three lower ranked teams (ranked 8th, 14th and 19th respectively in the IC T20I Team Rankings).
Pakistan comprehensively beat the other two highly ranked teams in their group in their first two matches – India by 10 wickets and New Zealand by 5 wickets. This has given him a solid NRR of +0.738. They are definitely sitting at the top of the group with 4 points from 2 matches and are at the top of the group. Their remaining three matches are against the lower ranked teams – Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia – which are expected to win. So Pakistan looks good to set a perfect record of 5 wins in the Super 12 stage and enter the semi-finals.
On the other hand, both India and New Zealand are yet to open their account. Both these teams have played one match each so far and have lost – of course to Pakistan. And that puts them up against each other, which will coincidentally be the next match for these two teams, a likely do-or-die affair.
Taking the hypothesis that Pakistan, India and New Zealand would all beat Afghanistan, Namibia and Scotland, the team winning the India vs New Zealand clash would be the team to join Pakistan in the semi-finals.
After Pakistan’s win vs New Zealand on Tuesday, as far as Group 2 is concerned, now only two scenarios are possible – either India beat New Zealand or New Zealand beat India.
In Scenario 1 – If India beat New Zealand – Then India would finish on 8 points (assuming they beat Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia) and New Zealand would finish on 6 points (assuming they beat Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia). In such a situation, Pakistan and India will be the two teams going to the semi-finals from this group.
It is of course based on the hypothesis that Pakistan, India and New Zealand will all beat Afghanistan, Namibia and Scotland.
In Scenario 2 – If New Zealand beat India – Then India would finish on 6 points (assuming they beat Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia) and New Zealand would finish on 8 points (assuming they beat Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia). and if it happens New Zealand Will join Pakistan as the second team to qualify for the knockouts from Group 2.
It is of course based on the hypothesis that Pakistan, India and New Zealand will all beat Afghanistan, Namibia and Scotland.
Of course, T20 is the most fickle format of the game and it’s not surprising to see some variation in it. The team that loses on Sunday can still make it to the semi-finals, provided the other team is upset with the lower ranked team or teams and they win their remaining matches themselves.
NS man in blue Play the Black Caps on Sunday, October 31st. While India vs Pakistan was a keen chase for obvious reasons, India vs New Zealand will probably be the most important encounter for both these teams.
India ranks higher than NZ in team rankings in T20I cricket, but history favors New Zealand in recent encounters India vs India in ICC tournaments. Incredibly, the last time India beat the Kiwis in an ICC tournament was in 203 ICC ODI World Cup.
Actually, New Zealand has defeated India four times in the last 5 matches between these two teams in the ICC tournament.
Along with the overall clash in T20Is, it is the Black Caps who maintain the lead. In the 16 T20 matches between the two teams, New Zealand has won 8, while India has won 6 of these matches. Two matches were tied.
The Men in Blue are eyeing their second T20 World Cup title. Come Sunday, they have to do their best to keep those hopes well and truly alive.
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