New Delhi: Pakistan’s 61-run loss to India has put their T20 World Cup campaign in jeopardy and they may be eliminated based on the upcoming Group A results. India qualified for the Super Eights with three wins from three matches, while Pakistan finished third with two wins and one loss.
The U.S.’s victory over Namibia further intensified the race, with the final game of the group crucial for Pakistan’s avoidance of relegation. Currently, the United States and Pakistan have the same number of points (4). However, thanks to a better net run rate, Team USA finds itself second in the table. Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson admitted the defeat was tough for the players, saying: “There is a very disappointed group of people in the dressing room now because they know what this means to Pakistan.” He added that despite India’s recent victory, the day’s performance was better. “We knew it was a big tournament, Pakistan versus India. We had obviously won five games before today so we were confident but today we were beaten,” he added.Riding on Ishan Kishan’s 77 runs, India won 175-7 with support from: Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dubey. Pakistan suffered an early defeat 13-3 and were bowled out for 114, with Usman Khan’s top score of 44. Hesson defended the decision to bowl first, saying: “I thought the ball initially spun a lot and we got off to a good start, but I thought the way Kishan played, he took the game away from us.”Now, Pakistan must beat Namibia in their final group match on Wednesday to avoid relegation. If they lose, they are eliminated. If the match is called off due to heavy rain, the two teams will share the points and Pakistan will qualify for the Super Eights.Their fate could also depend on other results, including games between the United States and the Netherlands, which could affect qualifying standings.Hesson urged the team to recover as soon as possible, saying: “We have to pick ourselves up and make sure we perform well in two or three days.” Confidence remains, he added, “We’ve played some good cricket ahead of this World Cup so we’re confident of doing well in the tournament.”
