Asia Cup 2022 Final: Qualification scenarios of Pakistan, India & Afghanistan
Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India are battling for a position in the Asia Cup 2022 final.
Each team displayed their skills throughout the Asia Cup 2022, making it a competition to remember. In addition to Sri Lanka, three other teams are vying for a spot in the crucial final as the competition nears its conclusion. While India and Afghanistan’s chances of winning the mega-event hang in the balance, Pakistan is in prime position to do so.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka have both excelled so far in the competition. Pakistan has won just one game in the Super 4s stage, a thrilling victory over India, while Sri Lanka has won both of its games in the round, defeating both Afghanistan and India.
India’s performance in both of their Super 4s matches has been underwhelming, losing the first game to Pakistan, their bitter rivals, and then suffering yet another defeat to Sri Lanka. In the meantime, Afghanistan dropped their lone match of the round to Sri Lanka after failing to maintain their first-round momentum.
Three teams still have a chance to go to the final with just three matches left in the round, though the teams may depend on other outcomes going their way.
Let’s examine the potential outcomes for each team:
Pakistan
To advance to the championship game, the Men in Green must triumph in one of their last two matches. The Green Shirts will guarantee their qualification to the final alongside Sri Lanka if they defeat Afghanistan in tonight’s match since it will be difficult for India and Afghanistan to surpass the points totals of the top two teams.
In order to have a better net run rate in the event that Pakistan loses to Afghanistan, they will need to overcome Sri Lanka and hope that Afghanistan doesn’t defeat India by a big margin.
Pakistan will require India to defeat Afghanistan and have a higher net run rate than both teams if they lose their next two games.
India
To advance to the grand final of the event, the Men in Blue will require a miracle. In order to surpass Pakistan and Afghanistan by a greater net run rate, they will require Pakistan to lose their final two games and defeat Afghanistan handily. They will be eliminated from the tournament if any other outcome is unfavourable.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan has two options if they want to reach the first Asia Cup final in history. Afghanistan will join Sri Lanka in the championship game if they win their final two games against Pakistan and India. Afghanistan will require Pakistan to lose against Sri Lanka by a significant margin in order to enter the final due to a greater run rate than Pakistan and India if they defeat Pakistan and defeat India.
If Pakistan defeats Afghanistan, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will advance to the tournament’s final, eliminating Afghanistan from the competition.
