The Pakistan cricket team’s ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 semi-final hunt is all but over. Though theoretically, Pakistan can still claim the 4th spot in the points table, the methodology isn’t quite practical. With a 283-run win required to topple New Zealand via Net Run Rate, Pakistan need to put a formidable total on the board if they bat first. Wasim Akram, one of the greatest Pakistani cricketers of all time, came up with a hilarious plan that will enable Pakistan’s semi-final qualification.
In a chat on A-Sports, Akram said that the Pakistan team should bat first and put a big total on the board. Before the England cricketers come out to bat, Pakistan should lock them in their dressing room, and get time ‘timed out’.
“Wasim bhai gave the idea that Pakistan should bat first, then lock England up in their dresing room and get them timed out in 20 minutes to win the match,” the host said on the show, leaving the guests in splits.
How can Pakistan still qualify for the semi-finals? @wasimakramlive has a hilarious idea.#ASportsHD #ARYZAP #CWC23 #ThePavilion #WasimAkram #MoinKhan #FakhreAlam #MisbahulHaq #NZvSL pic.twitter.com/iaCH6CSZSa
— ASports (@asportstvpk) November 9, 2023
As a matter of fact, Sri Lanka all-rounder Angelo Mathews was timed out in the match against Bangladesh a few days ago after a helmet malfunction prevented him from facing the bowler in the stipulated 2-minute timeframe.
Akram, jokingly, feels Pakistan should do that with all England batters on Saturday.
Misbah-ul-Haq, another expert on the show, feels that the Pakistan team shouldn’t let England players out at all from their dressing rooms.
“Allow England to bat first and lock up the dressing room after that. Why let them put up a total at all!”, he said.
When it comes to the qualification scenario, Pakistan would hope to bat first and put in excess of 400 runs on the board. If they manage to score 450 runs, Pakistan would need to bowl out England for a score of 162 in order to topple England’s Net Run Rate.
If Pakistan bowl first, the situation would get a lot more tricky.
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