PremiumENG vs PAK: #ByeByePakistan trends as Babar Azam and Co are all but OUT of semis race
The almost departure from the semis race came after Pakistan lost the toss against England in their last group stage match and were asked to bowl first in the ODI World Cup 2023.
Last Updated: 04.23 PM, Nov 11, 2023
Prior to the commencement of the ICC Men's ODI World Cup 2023, Pakistan was anticipated to easily secure a spot in the Top 4. Despite holding the No. 1 rank in ODIs and having the top-ranked batter, Babar Azam, and bowler, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan has now been eliminated from the semi-final race.
The almost departure from the semis race came after Pakistan lost the toss against England in their last group stage match and were asked to bowl first. This significantly diminished their chances of reaching the semi-finals.
They relinquished the top ODI team ranking to India, and Shubman Gill surpassed Babar in the batter rankings, while Mohammed Siraj claimed the top spot in bowling, with Afridi dropping to the 6th spot.
In the World Cup group stage, Pakistan had a promising start but suffered four consecutive losses mid-tournament. Although they won their last two games, including one against New Zealand, it proved insufficient to secure a place in the Top 4.
With England reaching 186 runs and losing just two wickets after 33 overs in the final group game, Pakistan's chances of reaching the semi-finals are now minimal.
If England scores Pakistan needs to win inside:
20 - 1.3 overs
50 - 2 overs
100 - 2.5 overs
150 - 3.4 overs
200 - 4.3 overs
300 - 6.1 overs
Shortly after, the hashtag #ByeByePakistan gained traction on social media, particularly on X (formerly known as Twitter), as a means to mock Babar Azam and the team for their performance, especially considering that numerous cricket pundits had predicted the team to be among the Top 4.
Pakistan is in a similar situation:
Pakistan is in a situation reminiscent of 2019, where they need to secure a victory in their last league game with a margin exceeding 300 runs to surpass New Zealand on Net Run Rate (NRR) for a spot in the semifinals.
Both teams had concluded with 11 points each, but the Kiwis had advanced based on a superior NRR, despite Pakistan defeating New Zealand in the league phase on every encounter.