The win against New Zealand ensured that Pakistan remain in the hunt for a berth in the semi-finals. And while the team currently has seven points from as many matches, they need both luck and wins in their remaining two matches to ensure the path ahead to the knockout round.
Pakistan cricket team file image. (Photo: Paul ELLIS / AFP)
If the World Cup history is the sole criteria, then the stats tell that Pakistan will emerge as the champions of the ongoing World Cup in England and Wales.
The journey of the Pakistan team led by Sarfaraz Ahmed so far in this edition of the World Cup has been eerily similar to that of the 1992 World Cup when the Imran Khan-led side won the coveted trophy in Australia and New Zealand.
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In 1992, the ICC had introduced the round-robin format wherein each team played each other once before the top four teams qualified for the knock-outs.
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Pakistan’s record in first seven matches in 1992 read:
1st Match- Lost to West Indies
2nd Match- Won
3rd Match- Rained out
4th Match- Lost
5th Match- Lost
6th Match- Won
7th Match- Won against New Zealand who were unbeaten in the tournament before this match.
This is where it gets uncanny:-
Pakistan’s record in 2019 World Cup till now reads:
1st Match- Lost to West Indies
2nd Match- Won
3rd Match- Rained out
4th Match- Lost
5th Match- Lost
6th Match- Won
7th Match- Won against New Zealand who were unbeaten in the tournament before this match.
To make it more interesting, stats tell that Pakistan lost their 1992 World Cup warm-up match and the same happened with the Green Brigade in their warm-up match of 2019 World Cup.
The win against New Zealand ensured that Pakistan remain in the hunt for a berth in the semi-finals. And while the team currently has seven points from as many matches, they need both luck and wins in their remaining two matches to ensure the path ahead to the knockout round.
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