The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has found itself embroiled in an explosive controversy over boycotting the ICC T20 World Cup clash against India. Amidst this political drama, should Pakistan face defeats against teams like the Netherlands or the United States of America (USA), the repercussions won’t be confined to the cricketing field; anger could very well spill over to social media and the streets.
Not playing the match against India will cost Pakistan not just two precious points but could negatively impact their net run rate, thereby diminishing their chances of advancing to the next round. Failing to play India would undoubtedly place additional pressure on Pakistan to win their remaining group matches against the Netherlands, the USA, and Namibia. Victory in all three matches keeps their hopes alive for qualification. However, a single defeat could spell disaster for the team's World Cup journey.
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Any loss to the Netherlands, Namibia, or the USA could put an abrupt halt to Pakistan's World Cup progression. Cricket experts contend that if Pakistan succumbs to these relatively less formidable teams, fans' wrath will be directed squarely at the PCB and governmental verdicts.
One Pakistani fan expressed on X, 'Imagine if we lose to America or the Netherlands, we're out of the World Cup.' An Indian follower replied humorously, 'Imagine if India loses to the USA or the Netherlands. Pakistan will still drop out because bypassing a match equates to 0 points and a -6 net run rate. Pakistan won't play against India but will ironically support India in both group matches.'
Fears amongst Pakistani fans aren’t unfounded. The USA had already defeated Pakistan in a Super Over during the last T20 World Cup. Could this scenario be repeating? Many former cricketers have cautioned that abstaining from the India match could severely harm Pakistani cricket. If defeat befalls weaker teams, a deluge of memes is inevitable on social media. Viral could be PCB meeting clips, along with players’ reaction images.
The India boycotting strategy is, by consensus, a risky move for Pakistani cricket. However, if in addition the on-field results also go against them, it questions the credibility of the entire decision. Now, for Pakistan, each match is not just about winning but also about proving the merit of their controversial decision.
