Pakistan finishing the chase of 182 successfully brought an end to India’s winning spree in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022. On Sunday, the Men in Blue lost their first Super 4 tie to the arch-rivals by 5 wickets and are now reeling at the third position on the points table. Sri Lanka hold the top spot with a Net Run Rate (NRR) of +0.589 while Pakistan stand second with +0.126.
Team India has 2 more games left in the Super 4; one against Sri Lanka and another against Afghanistan. On Tuesday, Rohit Sharma and his boys will square off against the Lankans who have been on a roll in the tournament. After losing the opening match to Afghanistan, they came back stronger to knock out Bangladesh and thumped Mohammad Nabi’s team in their first Super 4 tie.
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India have been the firm favourite but the game against Sri Lanka won’t be an easy nut to crack. The Men in Blue will have to return victorious in their next two encounters if they want themselves in the final.
How can India qualify for the finals after losing to Pakistan?
If India win their next two games against Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, the island nation will be knocked out of the tournament. Rohit Sharma & Co have to win the next two games with bigger margins to qualify safely. They currently have an NRR of -0.126. However, if Sri Lanka defeats Pakistan and India, the NRR will be considered.
How can India and Pakistan meet in the final?
Pakistan will end up being on the top of the table if they defeat Sri Lanka and Afghanistan in their next game. Even if they lose one out of the next two ties, their chances of getting into the final remain intact. If India win both their games, they will, in all likelihood, face the arch-rivals again in the tournament and it will be the big final.
Focus on India vs Sri Lanka
The bowling resources may not be enough at the moment but India need to decide quickly on their middle-order. The five-bowler theory also makes Hardik’s four overs more critical. Axar Patel, who is a like-for-like replacement for Jadeja, can be brought into the playing eleven to lend more balance.
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