Pakistan and Bangladesh will play for a chance to advance to the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Adelaide on Sunday, but both will need other outcomes to go their way.
For the two sides, the equation is not especially straightforward. A win in this game will not ensure either of them a position in the semi-finals; they will also need the results of at least one of the other two games tomorrow to go their way. Pakistan now has four points, and their NRR has grown dramatically following their victory over South Africa in the previous match. So, a win against Bangladesh and either India or South Africa losing their respective matches tomorrow will put them through to the semi-finals.
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Race for Semi-finals Spot
Babar Azam’s team did not have the ideal start to the season, losing their first two games to India and Zimbabwe. They have now rebounded impressively, winning convincingly against the Netherlands and South Africa. These victories have given them a lot of confidence, and they will be eager to deliver another solid performance here with momentum on their side. The top order’s batting has surfaced as a source of concern for them, but their middle order and an in-form bowling unit have kept the club going. It’s past time for the upper crust to step up as well.
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Things aren’t as straightforward in Bangladesh. Their NRR isn’t as excellent as Pakistan’s, thus they need to not only win this game but win by a large margin to be in contention for the semi-finals. Without an increase in their NRR, only a South African loss will put them in the semi-finals, since India still has a substantially better NRR.
However, the Tigers have put in some strong performances this season. The most recent encounter against India was a good illustration of this, with the team falling short by five runs (DLS method). Bangladesh has provided competitive performances in all matches, with the exception of a 104-run setback to South Africa. The batting unit still has a lot of room for development, but the bowlers have really delivered in crucial moments and will be hoping to do so again in this must-win match against Pakistan.