Pakistan’s hopes of advancing to the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy took a significant hit after suffering a comprehensive defeat to India in their Group A match in Dubai on Sunday.
The team struggled throughout the game as Virat Kohli delivered an exceptional performance, scoring a century off 111 balls, leading India to a comfortable six-wicket win.
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This marked Pakistan’s second consecutive loss after being defeated by New Zealand in the tournament opener. Although the path to the semi-finals looks extremely challenging for Mohammad Rizwan and his team, it’s not entirely out of reach.
To keep their hopes alive, Pakistan must secure a win against Bangladesh in their final match and rely on other outcomes to progress to the knockout stage.
How Pakistan Can Qualify for the Champions Trophy Semi-Finals
To qualify, Pakistan need New Zealand to lose both of their remaining matches against Bangladesh and India. If Pakistan win their final game, they will end up with two points from three matches, tying with New Zealand and Bangladesh. In this scenario, Pakistan could advance to the semi-finals based on a superior net run rate.
However, if New Zealand beat Bangladesh tonight (February 24), they will clinch a semi-final spot alongside India, leaving the last round of Group A as a contest for the top two positions.
In that case, Pakistan’s campaign would conclude, regardless of the outcome of their last match.
After the loss against India, Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan was downbeat and accepted they were out of reckoning. “For now, we can say that it’s over. This is the truth. In the next match, we’ll see what Bangladesh does with New Zealand, what New Zealand does with India, and what we do. It’s a long journey. Yes, we have hope and belief in Allah. Our dependence on Champions Trophy has now come on other teams. And as a captain, I honestly don’t like this,” he said.
