The quest for the Pakistan cricket team to reach the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 semi-final seems almost futile now. While there’s a slim chance on paper for Pakistan to secure the 4th spot in the points table, the practicality of achieving this is questionable.
Requiring a massive 283-run victory to surpass New Zealand in Net Run Rate, Pakistan’s path to success hinges on posting a substantial total if they bat first. Wasim Akram, an iconic figure in Pakistani cricket, humorously suggested a unique plan to secure Pakistan’s semi-final berth during a conversation on A-Sports.
Akram proposed that Pakistan should bat first, amass a significant score, and then confine the English team to their dressing room before they come out to bat. The idea is to exploit the timed-out rule, as exemplified by Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews in a recent match against Bangladesh. Akram playfully envisions a scenario where all England batters face a similar fate, prompting laughter among the show’s participants.
Savage from Wasim Akram 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/JgqNUi864p
— RVCJ Media (@RVCJ_FB) November 10, 2023
Adding to the jest, Misbah-ul-Haq, another cricket expert on the show, suggests the extreme measure of not letting any England players leave their dressing rooms at all.
In the context of qualification, Pakistan’s ideal scenario involves batting first and setting a target exceeding 400 runs. A score of 450 would necessitate England to be bowled out for 162, enabling Pakistan to surpass New Zealand’s Net Run Rate.
