Sourav Ganguly, who once led the Indian team, has expressed his desire to see India and Pakistan face off in the World Cup semi-finals. With the race for the final qualifying spot heating up between Pakistan, New Zealand, and Afghanistan, Ganguly is pulling for Pakistan to secure a top-four finish. Such a result would set up a dream clash against a dominant Indian side at Eden Gardens on Wednesday, a matchup Ganguly believes would be the pinnacle of the tournament.
The former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has supported the notion of an India-Pakistan Cricket World Cup semi-final. With Pakistan, New Zealand, and Afghanistan vying for the final semi-final position, Ganguly wants the Babar Azam-led side to get to the top four level. If Pakistan advances to the semi-finals, they will face table-topping India at Eden Gardens on Wednesday. Ganguly believes that if India meets Pakistan in the semi-finals, there will be no better semi-final.
'I really want to see Pakistan reach the semis and take on India because you can't get a bigger game than that,' Ganguly explained. He praised the Indian team's current run of form but remained grounded, suggesting that even a team this strong can fall short of the trophy, as is often the case in professional sports. He noted that the general public is delighted with how India has handled themselves so far.
Looking at their first eight games, Ganguly feels India has established a significant lead over the rest of the competition. He expressed hope that they can sustain this level of play, doubting that their performance would crash unexpectedly. The former BCCI chief concluded by saying they look very strong and he's keeping his fingers crossed for them.
For Pakistan to move forward, they need to win their remaining fixtures to hit 10 points. In a scenario where New Zealand and Afghanistan also reach 10 points by winning their final two games, Pakistan's fate will depend on having the superior Net Run Rate (NRR) among the three contenders.