COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (Sun, Sept. 30) - India keeping their hopes alive to qualify for the semi-finals of the
ICC World Twenty20 after beating arch-rivals comprehensively today by 8
wickets here at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. India bettered their NRR by achieving the modest target of 129 in just 17 overs.
Brief Scores:
Pakistan:
128 all out in 19.4 overs (Shoaib Malik 28; L Balaji 3/22, R Ashwin 2/16, Yuvraj Singh 2/16).
India:
129 for 2 in 17 overs (Virat Kohli 78 not out, Virender Sehwag 29; Raza Hasan 1/22).
Although the points table above shows that Pakistan still on the second spot on points table of Group 2 following Australia, who crushed South Africa in the first match of the day in the same Group, but the respective Net Run Rates (NRRs) of Pakistan, India and South Africa are so close that anyone of them can qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament.
Australia is in somewhat sound position but if Pakistan, in their last match of the Group 2 on Tuesday, produces another unpredictable performance and beat Australia with a margin to cover the difference in the NRR, then they might also be kicked out. But if Australia wins they will be through to the knock-out round.
Today's victory has not only opened the gates for India to next
round; but it has also provided a ray of hope to South Africa, who are
currently on the bottom of points table. If South Africa manages to beat India and Pakistan loses to Australia, then the second semi-final qualifier from the group will be decided on the basis of NRR.
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India, Pakistan, cricket, t20 world cup, twenty20 cricket, super eight, Pak v Ind Super 8, India Beat Pakistan, India-Pakistan, Points Table