2025 ICC Champions Trophy Qualification Scenario: Under what scenario can CT hosts Pakistan still make it to the semis from Group A?

Never before in the history of the Champions Trophy have the host side and also the defending champions knocked out this early from the competition. Are Pakistan knocked out of the race to the semis for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy at home?

Pakistan is in the soup midway through the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, as they are on the verge of getting eliminated during the group stage games after a crushing defeat against India in the Sunday clash of the giants. 

Pakistan’s two consecutive losses

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Pakistan hurled immense cheers and loud claims before the beginning of the ICC events since they were hosting an ICC tournament at home after 29 years. However, ever since the very first game, they have not been their very best. 

Pakistan kick-started the tournament against New Zealand, who eventually proved to be the heavyweights in the Champions Trophy with a great performance, dominating with the bat and ball. New Zealand won the opening encounter by a margin of 60 runs at Karachi. 

Pakistan was yet to recover from their humiliating loss at home, so they had to clash against their arch-rivals India in Dubai on Sunday. This fixture proved to be salt rubbed in their wounds, as India comfortably won the match with 6 wickets in hand. 

India—the first team to advance into the semis

The Men in Blue have emerged as the first team to fix their spot in the Champions Trophy semi-finals. India went on to secure consecutive victories in the first two encounters, thus winning against both Bangladesh and Pakistan. 

Only under a situation can New Zealand win by a huge margin against India and then go on to lose to Bangladesh by a huge margin as well, while Pakistan loses their match against Bangladesh as well. Under these conditions, India, New Zealand, and Bangladesh will be tied under 2 wins, and the two teams with the highest net run rate (NRR) will qualify for the semis. 

Pakistan would depend on India and Bangladesh for their qualification chances

If Pakistan still wants to go ahead to the semi-finals, they will need help from arch-rivals India and Bangladesh, the neighbouring subcontinent team. If both India and Bangladesh went on to secure victories against New Zealand by a huge margin and Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by a huge margin as well, only then would the three teams be levelled at one win in the tournament. 

Under such a condition, the three teams—Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh—will end up with 2 points from 3 games, and the team with the best run rate in the points table will become the second semi-finalist alongside India from Group A of the ICC Champions Trophy. 

Suppose either Bangladesh or New Zealand can secure a win against Pakistan or Bangladesh, respectively, regardless of the margin of runs or balls left. In that case, the hosts, Pakistan, will be knocked off the Champions Trophy. Hence today’s fixture marks a crucial juncture in the Group A scenarios.

(Source: ICC)

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