Picture Credit: ICC
The T20 World Cup 2021 has been an incredible spectacle for fans so far, with so many twists and turns. From Namibia progressing to Super 12 stages ahead of Ireland and Netherlands to defending champions West Indies getting knocked out, there have been some unexpected outcomes in the tournament. However, as the tournament enters the business end, the situation is very interestingly poised especially for the Indian fans.
After suffering two back-to-back defeats at the hands of Pakistan and New Zealand respectively, Virat Kohli's side were supposedly down and out. The cricket fraternity left no stone unturned to criticize Team India for their dismal show in the first two games and their chances of going through to semis were almost gone. Practically, the dream of winning their first-ever ICC trophy after 8 years was almost over. But there was still a slight glimmer of hope left.
As it's often said, it's not over until it's over! And cricket is a perfect example of the same. One cannot predict the outcome of a game until the last ball is bowled. Similarly, until and unless a side is mathematically in the competition, anything can happen. This is exactly what's currently happening with India in UAE.
India bounce back in T20 WC with 2 back-to-back wins
The Men in Blue got their campaign back on track after registering a dominant win over Afghanistan. This is when the fans started to believe once again but India's net run rate was still way below what could make things realistic for them. But India have developed a habit of playing their best cricket when their backs are pushed against the wall.
On Friday, they had a huge task lined up in front of them when they were up against a gritty Scotland side. They not just needed a win but they required victory by a huge margin. And this is what happened in Dubai! Kohli and Co. bowled out the opposition on 85 and hunted down the target in only 6.3 overs.
While the victory got them much needed 2 points, the margin of win also get their net run rate better than that of Afghanistan and New Zealand, possibly opening the doors of their road to semi-finals once again.
Check out the points table:
What need to happen for India to go through to semi-final?
All eyes now lie on Match 40 where New Zealand will lock horns with Afghanistan at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on November 7. These are the possible scenarios with respect to a result of that match:
If New Zealand beat Afghanistan
New Zealand will progress to the semi-final (with 8 points) and India will be knocked out from the mega event.
If NZ vs AFG match is tied
New Zealand will progress to the semi-final (with 7 points) and India will be knocked out from the mega event.
If Afghanistan beat New Zealand
Afghanistan will go to 6 points in 5 matches. If India beat Namibia on Monday, then all the three teams i.e. India, Afghanistan and New Zealand will be level.
Considering India have bettered their NRR by a significant margin, they will have the upper hand in this scenario. It must all be noted that India will play their match against Namibia on the next day and they will be aware of the margin of victory required for them in order to go ahead.
This is why before getting ready for India's final match, the whole nation will be glued to the TV screens on Sunday rooting for Afghanistan to beat New Zealand, helping India stay alive in the tournament.