While India has remained unbeaten so far, Pakistan suffered a loss to England during the league stage.
The three teams that have already secured their spots in the U-19 World Cup semifinals are Australia, Afghanistan, and England. The fourth semifinalist will be determined by the outcome of the India vs Pakistan match. For India, the equation is simple: A win against Pakistan will guarantee them a spot in the semifinals as the top-ranked team from Group 2.
Pakistanâs situation is more complicated. Simply winning will not suffice; they need to secure a big victory with a significant margin to surpass India in the standings and qualify for the semifinals. If India loses by a small margin, they will still make it to the next round.
If Pakistan bats first, they must aim for a 105-run or more victory over India to knock them out of the top spot in Group 2 and qualify for the semifinals. However, if Pakistan bats second, they must chase the target aggressively and quickly. A regular win wonât be enough for them to secure a semifinal berth.
The Net Run Rate (NRR) plays a crucial role in determining the top four teams. India has an impressive NRR of +3.337 and has earned 6 points from their matches. On the other hand, Pakistan has an NRR of +1.484 and only 4 points in the standings.
Hereâs a breakdown of the scenarios:
Even if Pakistan wins, their hopes of making it to the semifinals remain fragile. They will need a large margin of victory and perfect execution of their chase to surpass Indiaâs NRR and qualify for the semifinals.