While Pakistan’s chances of making it to the semi-finals seem slim, their team director, Mickey Arthur, maintains hope for divine intervention. New Zealand’s dominant performance in Bengaluru, where they successfully chased down a target of 172 in just 23.2 overs, significantly boosted their Net Run Rate to +0.743, a figure nearly impossible for Pakistan to match.
Currently, Pakistan holds an NRR of +0.036. To surpass New Zealand’s NRR, Pakistan would need to defeat England by a staggering 287 runs or, if chasing, achieve an improbable target in 3.4 overs.
Despite these daunting odds, team director Mickey Arthur remains optimistic and stated, “Who knows how we are going to fare in this competition. I have a genuine belief that we can make it to the semi-finals, but let’s see how it unfolds. What’s certain is that the fate will be in our hands come Saturday. With a touch of divine help, we might reach the semi-finals, but it’s crucial that we perform well. We played a near-perfect game once, I believe, and that was against Bangladesh.”
New Zealand currently holds a firm grip on the fourth spot and appears poised to face India in the semi-finals of the World Cup 2023, making the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan clash unlikely.
In the midst of this, Mickey Arthur commended Fakhar Zaman’s outstanding contributions. Upon his return to the team after being dropped following the first match, Fakhar delivered impressive performances, scoring 81 runs in 74 balls against Bangladesh and an unbeaten 126* off 81 balls against New Zealand, keeping Pakistan’s hopes alive in the tournament.
