Former T20 World Cup champions Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and regular contender New Zealand failed to advance to the Super 8, rather shockingly, in the ongoing edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Pakistan, along with India, was expected to progress from Group-A, but a shock Super Over loss to USA to USA and a failed run chase against its neighbour ruined its chances.
The Lankans and Kiwis were in tougher groups. While the former was in Group-D with Bangladesh and South Africa, Kane Williamson’s men were drawn with two-time champion West Indies and Afghanistan.
Both teams would have hoped to advance, but sub-par performances meant that they were on the flight back home before the Super 8 stage.
All three sides will rue the missed chances. The precarious nature of the pitches in the United States will definitely be a point of discussion for the teams that played their group stage games in New York.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka were rattled by the inconsistent surface at the Nassau County Stadium and would believe that different circumstances might have yielded different results. Not only the wickets, the weather gods also intervened in a few matches.
Some tactical blunders, like dropping Tim Southee — the all-time top wicket-taker in T20Is — in the crucial encounter against Afghanistan and a poor performance in the death overs against Rovman Powell’s men, sealed the Kiwis’ fate as they suffered reverses in their first two fixtures.
It was almost a similar script for Wanindu Hasaranga’s men who, after two losses and a No Result against Nepal, finished third in their group with three points.
Even as the heavyweights faltered, the lesser-fancied teams punched above their weight. No one would have backed USA to qualify at the start of the tournament, but a spirited show saw the co-host defy expectations and beat the 2009 champion Pakistan while making it to the Super 8.