New Zealand’s T20 World Cup campaign is in tatters after two humbling defeats. Following a crushing loss to Afghanistan and a recent 13-run defeat against the West Indies, the Blackcaps find themselves in a precarious position. Their Net Run Rate (NRR) of -2.425 also puts them in a daunting nearly impossible qualification position for the Super 8s.
New Zealand Super 8 Qualification Scenario
| Team | Matches | Wins | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Indies (Q) | 3 | 3 | 6 (Q) | +2.596 |
| Afghanistan | 2 | 2 | 4 | +5.225 |
| Uganda | 3 | 1 | 2 | -4.217 |
| PNG | 2 | 0 | 0 | -0.434 |
| New Zealand | 2 | 0 | 0 | -2.425 |
Mathematically, a sliver of hope remains. New Zealand of course needs to win their remaining matches against Uganda and Papua New Guinea (PNG) by massive margins to improve their NRR significantly. However, this is just one piece of the puzzle. Their fate also hinges on the outcome of the West Indies vs. Afghanistan clash. They need the Windies to continue their winning spree and defeat Afghanistan by a large margin, further denting the Afghan team’s currently dominant NRR of +5.225.
However, what will upset New Zealand is that Afghanistan have another game remaining which is against Papua New Guinea (PNG). Given the Afghan’s fantastic form currently, the Rashid Khan-led is likely to bag those two crucial points which will put the ‘Q’ against Afghanistan’s name.
Even if these unlikely events transpire, New Zealand faces an uphill battle. Overturning such a significant NRR deficit remains a daunting task. Realistically, the Blackcaps’ journey in the 2024 T20 World Cup is likely coming to an end. Their focus will likely shift towards salvaging some pride and potentially spoiling the party for other teams in their remaining fixtures.
Things that need to go in New Zealand’s favor
- Need to win their both remaining games – (UGA, PNG)
- Need to win their games with healthy Net Run Rate
- Need Afghanistan to lose their remaining games (PNG, WI)
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