Cricket World Cup 2023: How Pakistan can still qualify for the semi-finals?

Although their chances are bleak, Pakistan could still qualify for the semi-finals of the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup.

Cricket World Cup 2023: How Pakistan can still qualify for the semi-finals?

Pakistan Cricket team celebrate (Image via ESPN)

Pakistan Cricket Team have had a horrid 2023 ICC ODI World Cup so far. They’ve played 7 matches and have managed to win only 3 matches. They started off well, beating Sri Lanka and Netherlands but then lost four matches in a row. Pakistan recently beat Bangladesh, but Babar Azam and his team are currently not favorites to qualify for the semi-finals. They do have a chance, but it will be tough for the men in green. They currently have 6 points with a NRR (Net Run Rate) of -0.024.

The road to the semi-finals will be extremely tough for Pakistan. They will need to win their remaining matches against the 2019 World Cup finalists, New Zealand and England. Along with that they will need to win by big margins, ensuring their NRR is higher than them. 

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If they manage to win only one game, they will need either Australia or New Zealand or both to lose all their matches. Along with that, they will need Afghanistan to lose 2 out of their 3 remaining matches. With these outcomes, the teams will all be tied on points, but Pakistan will still need a higher net run rate than them. 

Pakistan’s history in the ODI World Cup 

Pakistan are one of the few teams to have featured in every ODI World Cup since its inauguration in 1975. In their first appearance, they were knocked out of the group stages after managing to win only one game out of 3. In 1979, the Pakistan team made it to the semi finals but lost to eventual World Champions, West Indies. 

Imran Khan
Imran Khan is lifted by the Pakistan team after they become World Champions (Image via ESPN)

The same results occurred in the 1983 and the 1987 editions of the World Cup, where they would reach the semi finals but would not manage to reach the finals, losing to West Indies and Australia. After a format change in 1992, where each team played each other, it became tougher to reach the semi finals. 

After winning only one match out of their first 5 games, Pakistan turned around their form and managed to finish 4th, ensuring a spot in the semi-finals. They faced New Zealand and beat them, reaching their first finals after 4 tries. In the final, Captain Imran Khan led them to their first ODI World Cup triumph, beating England by 22 runs. 

Pakistan went in as favorites for the 1996 World Cup and finished 2nd in their group as well. In the semi-finals, they faced arch-rivals, India. They previously met in the 1992 World Cup, in which India beat them with ease. This time was no different as well, as India beat the Pakistan team by 39 runs. 

In the 1999 World Cup, Pakistan topped their group and qualified for the Super Six round. They topped the Super Six round as well and lost only two matches out of the five played, out of which one was against India. Pakistan beat New Zealand in the Semi finals and faced Australia. They were dominated in the finals by one of the greatest ODI teams of all time, losing by 8 wickets. Being sent to bat first, Pakistan were bowled out for a measly 132 runs and failed to defend the target. 

In 2003 they failed to make it out of the group stage, the first time that happened since 1975. They failed to beat teams like India, Australia and England. They missed out the Super Six stage as their match against Zimbabwe was washed out. In 2007, they failed to make it out of their group yet again, winning only 1 out of 3 matches in the group stage. 

In 2011, they topped their group, beat West Indies in the quarter finals but lost to India yet again in the Semi Finals. Thanks to a brilliant Sachin Tendulkar innings and a great bowling performance, Pakistan failed to reach the finals. 

Pakistan started the 2015 ODI World Cup with yet another loss to India, going 6 games without beating them. They did manage to reach the quarter finals, but were knocked out by eventual champions, Australia. The quarter-final is often remembered for Wahab Riaz’s fiery spell to Shane Watson.

Pakistan missed the semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup due to a negative net run-rate. They were tied on points with finalists New Zealand but due to their net run rate they played in the semi-finals. They also lost to India once again, thanks to great all-round performance by the Indian team and a phenomenal century by Rohit Sharma.

Javed Miandad is the highest scoring Pakistan batter in the World Cup, with 1083 runs from 1975 to 1996. Wasim Akram is the highest wicket taker from Pakistan, taking 55 wickets in 38 matches. He has also played the most matches for Pakistan in ODI World Cups, playing his last in 2003.

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