Pakistan’s T20 World Cup fate hinges on Lauderhill weather

ISLAMABAD: Lauderhill, located in southern Florida, is set to host three crucial Group A games of the T20 World Cup over the next three days. However, the area is currently experiencing a rare flash flood emergency, prompting Florida’s governor to declare a state of emergency in Broward County, where Lauderhill is situated.

Pakistan’s path to qualifying for the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup has been fraught with challenges. Their campaign began with a surprising defeat to the host nation, the USA. The loss to India in their second game was particularly painful, especially after they had restricted India to a modest 119 runs in the first innings. Nevertheless, Pakistan managed to stabilize their performance by securing a victory against Canada.

Despite this comeback, Pakistan still faces significant challenges in the days ahead, made even more difficult by the adverse weather conditions in Lauderhill. The Central Broward Park and Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill will be the venue for the following crucial Group A matches:

USA vs Ireland on Friday, June 14

India vs Canada on Saturday, June 15

Pakistan vs Ireland on Sunday, June 16

Recently, heavy rain and flood warnings in Lauderhill caused the abandonment of Sri Lanka’s must-win game against Nepal. This washout left Sri Lanka in a precarious position, and now it appears Pakistan might face a similar challenge.

How could the Florida rains impact Pakistan’s chances?

With India already securing the top spot in Group A, the race for the second place won’t hinge on net run rates. Pakistan currently has a better net run rate (0.191) compared to the USA (0.127). Therefore, Pakistan can qualify by simply beating Ireland and hoping the USA loses to them.

However, the situation becomes tricky with the rain. The USA can still qualify if they earn just a single point, meaning if their game against Ireland is washed out, they will advance. Similarly, if Pakistan’s game against Ireland is washed out, resulting in each team earning one point, the USA will also qualify. Thus, the weather conditions in Lauderhill could play a crucial role in determining Pakistan’s fate in the tournament.