Afg beaten, what’s next for India?

Mohammed Rumman Khan | NT

India’s chances of qualify- ing for the semi-final in this T20 now hang by a thread. If Team India do get knocked out, it will be the first time in eight years and eight ICC tournaments that it will fail to reach the final four. Does India still have a chance? As the Virat Kohli led side won their encounter against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, and hope to go on to beat Scotland and Namibia by big margins - and remember, big margins are the key words here - the Men in Blue would hope for one of these two teams, along with Afghanistan to upset New Zealand. Of all the teams, it’s Afghanistan, that could do the trick.

If Pakistan beat Namibia comfortably, and NZ win their remaining matches, then it will be Pakistan and NZ who will qualify, and India will be taking the flight back home. However, if Afghanistan manage to beat New Zealand, and India win all their remaining matches, India and NZ will be tied at six points each. In that scenario, the net run rate will come into the equation and the team with a better NRR in the group will advance. Hoping against hope, say millions and millions of Indian cricket fans.