NEW DELHI: In a high-stakes clash, Pakistan face a near-impossible task of making it to the World Cup semifinals, needing a miraculous win with an unthinkable margin against a charged-up England. New Zealand's victory over Sri Lanka has virtually shattered Pakistan's semifinal hopes, requiring them to beat England by an improbable margin to have a chance.
New Zealand's superior net run-rate (+0.743) compared to Pakistan's (+0.036) means that for Babar Azam's side to qualify as the fourth team, they have to win by approximately 287 runs if batting first. If chasing, Pakistan needs to win with 284 balls to spare, a practically challenging task.
