Cricket players in India during training. (Photo Credit: BCCI) NEW DELHI: The real World Cup has started for India and suddenly they are out of control. A crushing 76-run defeat to South Africa in Ahmedabad pushed the hosts and defending champions into the virtual knockout stage, starting with a must-win Super 8 match against Zimbabwe in Chennai on Thursday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!The heavy loss combined with West Indies’ massive 107-run win over Zimbabwe severely dented India’s semi-final hopes. More worrying than the defeat itself is the damage to the net run rate (NRR). India’s NRR has fallen to -3,800, putting it well behind West Indies (+5,350) and South Africa (+3,800) in Group 1.With only two matches remaining, Suryakumar Yadav’s side need not just a win, but a big one – and hope more results go their way.
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A must win with NRR under pressureIndia’s path is straightforward on paper but complicated in reality. They need to beat both Zimbabwe and the West Indies to reach the four points. However, even two wins may not guarantee qualification if net rate becomes the deciding factor in the event of a tie.If South Africa beat the West Indies and Zimbabwe, both South Africa and India qualify. However, if South Africa lose one match and the three teams are level on four points, the NRR will determine the semi-finalists – an area where India is currently struggling.This makes India’s chance of victory crucial. A narrow win over Zimbabwe will not be enough; they need emphatic wins to undo the damage. What India has to do nowThe immediate focus will be on Zimbabwe in Chennai. A dominant win – potentially by 80-100 runs or more – could greatly improve India’s NRR and revive their chances.Their final Super 8 match against West Indies in Kolkata on March 1 could then become a virtual quarter-final.However, India’s fate will also depend on the outcome of South Africa and West Indies. While these permutations remain out of their hands, India’s task is clear.For the defending champions, survival now depends not only on winning, but on winning big.
