 "Pakistani players wear a dejected look following their six-wicket defeat against arch-rivals India in the ICC Champions Trophy. AP")
India produced another clinical performance in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy on Sunday. Three days after they began their campaign with a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, India handed Pakistan a defeat of a similar margin at the same venue. And while Shubman Gill slammed an unbeaten century on Thursday against the Bangla Tigers, it was Virat Kohli’s turn against India’s fiercest rivals on Sunday as he completed his 51st ODI century with a boundary, which also proved to be the winning runs.
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The only difference between the two victories was that India was chasing a slightly bigger target against Pakistan – 242 compared to 229 against Bangladesh. And on Sunday, India went past the finish line in just 42.3 overs, four overs fewer than against their neighbours to the east.
How exactly does Sunday’s result affect India and Pakistan’s journey to the semi-finals, as well as those of New Zealand and Bangladesh?
ICC Champions Trophy Group A scenarios explained
Have India qualified for the semi-finals?
Nearly. With two wins in as many outings and a positive net run rate, India have virtually assured themselves of a place in the semi-finals that take place on 4 and 5 March. There still is a possibility of a three-way tie with New Zealand and Bangladesh if the latter end up winning both of their remaining games. However, the manner in which the Black Caps have been performing in ODIs recently makes that a challenging prospect for the Tigers.
Is Pakistan’s defence of the Champions Trophy over?
Pakistan find themselves on the brink of a first-round exit in the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy following Sunday’s defeat, but aren’t officially out of the tournament yet.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsWhat about New Zealand and Bangladesh?
The situation for New Zealand and Bangladesh isn’t very different from that of India and Pakistan before Sunday’s blockbuster showdown in Dubai. New Zealand had won the tournament opener against Pakistan in Karachi by 60 runs on Wednesday while Bangladesh had suffered a six-wicket loss at the hands of India the following day.
Should New Zealand make it two-in-two on Monday, they will end all speculation as far as Group A is concerned as their victory will not only knock Bangladesh out, it will also officially end Pakistan’s title defence and confirm India as the other team progressing to the knockouts. The India vs New Zealand clash next Sunday will then essentially decide which team finishes at the top of Group A.
A Bangladeshi victory, however, will certainly make things a lot more interesting and could extend the suspense surrounding the semi-finalists by a week.