India and Pakistan have a long and intense rivalry in cricket, especially in the ODI World Cup. The two teams have met seven times in the mega event, with India winning all of them. The last time they clashed was in 2019, when India beat Pakistan by 89 runs (DLS method) at Old Trafford.
This year, the World Cup is being hosted by India, and the fans are eagerly waiting for another encounter between the two neighbours.
According to the schedule announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC), India and Pakistan will play each other on October 15 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, which is the world’s largest cricket stadium with a seating capacity of 1,32,000 spectators .
However, there is a possibility that the two teams may meet again in the knockout stage, depending on their performances in the group stage.
The World Cup 2023 has 10 teams participating, with each team playing the other nine in a round-robin format. The top four teams will qualify for the semifinals, which will be held on November 15 and 16 in Mumbai and Kolkata respectively.
As of now, India and Pakistan are both doing well in the tournament, having won their first two matches against Australia and New Zealand respectively. If they continue their winning streak, they may end up in the top four and face each other in the semifinal.
Here are some of the scenarios that could lead to an India and Pakistan semifinal
- If India finish first and Pakistan finish fourth in the group stage, they will play each other in the first semifinal in Mumbai on November 15.
- If India finish second and Pakistan finish third in the group stage, they will play each other in the second semifinal in Kolkata on November 16.
- If India finish third and Pakistan finish second in the group stage, they will play each other in the second semifinal in Kolkata on November 16.
- If India finish fourth and Pakistan finish first in the group stage, they will play each other in the first semifinal in Mumbai on November 15.
However, there are many other factors that could affect the standings of the teams, such as net run rate, head-to-head record, weather conditions, etc. Moreover, there are other strong contenders for the semifinal spots, such as England, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, etc.
Therefore, nothing can be taken for granted until the last match of the group stage is played on November 12. Until then, the fans can only hope and pray for their favourite teams to make it to the semifinals and set up a thrilling clash that could decide the fate of the World Cup 2023.
