With just two more Super Fours matches to go in the Asia Cup, here is how the qualification scenarios stand for Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the only two teams left in contention for a Finals berth alongside India.
India’s 41-run victory over Sri Lanka in a low-scoring thriller at the R Premadasa Stadium on September 12 has taken them to the final of the 2023 Asia Cup. The result also means that Bangladesh now stand eliminated from the qualification race having lost their first two matches.
Qualification scenarios
Sri Lanka and Pakistan are tied at two points each and are placed second and third on the Super Fours table currently, given Sri Lanka’s superior Net Run Rate (-0.2) as compared to Pakistan’s (-1.892). Both teams have just one more game remaining and that happens to be against each other, making the equations pretty straightforward.
Whichever team wins the Sri Lanka-Pakistan game on September 14 will book their place in the final alongside India, making the contest a virtual semi-final.
What happens in case of a washout?
However, in case the match gets washed out, which is a possibility given the weather in Colombo lately, both Pakistan and Sri Lanka will finish on three points each. The tournament playing conditions state that in such a scenario, the team with the better net run rate will qualify over the other team.
In this case, since Sri Lanka has a better net run rate than Pakistan, a washout will mean Sri Lanka will qualify for the final and Pakistan will be eliminated.
The final is scheduled to take place on September 17 in Colombo. Apart from the India-Pakistan Super Fours game, the final is the only Asia Cup match that has a reserve day.
India and Pakistan have never met in an Asia Cup final, while India and Sri Lanka have met eight times with India winning five and Sri Lanka three.
(wisden.com)
