With ifs and buts, Pakistan can still qualify for Champions Trophy semifinals

KARACHI: Despite losing two games, Pakistan’s hopes of advancing to the semifinals of ICC Champions Trophy remain mathematically possible, though highly unlikely, but depend on a series of specific match outcomes and favorable net run-rate calculations.

For Pakistan to qualify:

• Pakistan must then beat Bangladesh by a significant margin on 27th February.
• India must defeat New Zealand on 2nd March in Dubai.
• For Pakistan to qualify, it is also important that New Zealand must lose both their remaining matches by substantial margins to negatively impact their net run rate.

Any washout in these matches would officially eliminate Pakistan from the tournament.

The scenario requires multiple external results to align, making Pakistan’s path to qualification highly unlikely. The situation may be mathematically possible but looks practically improbable.

Pakistan’s fate will be decided over the next week as the tournament reaches its final group-stage matches.

Earlier today, India beat Pakistan by six wickets in a Group A match of the Champions Trophy at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

Electing to bat, Pakistan made 241 before being all out with two deliveries left in their stop-start innings.

Saud Shakeel (62) and Mohammad Rizwan (46) scored the bulk of the runs for Pakistan while spinner Kuldeep Yadav claimed 3-40.

Virat Kohli anchored a tricky chase with an unbeaten 100 while Shreyas Iyer made 56 as India registered their second successive victory of the tournament with 7.3 overs to spare.