England vs Pakan Live Score, World Cup 2023: PAK face insurmountable odds to book semifinal spot as they lock horns with ENG | Cricket News
Pakan captain Babar Azam during a practice session ahead of the match against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens in Kolkata last month. Express photo Partha Paul.
Babar Azam defends captaincy: ‘I am under no pressure, I’ve been doing this for the last two-three years’
The festival season drags on in the City of Joy. The first time Pakan landed here, Kolkata was hungover from the Durga Puja. Two weeks later, as they return for one last time in the World Cup. Diwali and Kali Puja are ushering in. But the mood in their camp, though, would be far from festive, as their semifinal hopes are as bleak as reaching on time for a function in the city during the festival time, as you would be bumping into one block after the other.
Similarly, Pakan have most avenues to the semifinals reaching dead-ends. All but the dreamers and romantics would still nurse hopes of them reaching the last four, in which case they would encounter India in a dream knockout match. To achieve that, though, they need to beat England 287 runs if they bat first or with 284 balls to spare if they are chasing. Pakan captain Babar Azam semi-seriously said: “I think there is one match left. You never know. It is cricket.” He turned a bit philosophical too: “There should be hope at all times. At any stage, at any work you do, you should have positive hope and I firmly believe in that.” (READ MORE)
