Pakistan accused of match-fixing in Under-19 World Cup; Zimbabwe, Scotland involved too

Pakistan accused of fixing [Source: X]

The Under-19 World Cup group stage clash between Pakistan and Zimbabwe turned out to be a controversial contest, as Pakistan won the match, but not before they were accused of manipulating the result. The Men in Green chased down the target set by Zimbabwe, but they deliberately slowed down on purpose to give their NRR a boost.

Pakistan won the match by 8 wickets and 181 balls to spare, and this win allowed the Zimbabwe team to also qualify. However, it turned out to be heartbreaking for Scotland, who failed to qualify and were eliminated.

How Pakistan manipulated the result to help Zimbabwe

Had Pakistan won the game in 26 overs, Zimbabwe would have been eliminated, and Scotland would have qualified on the basis of the net run-rate. However, the Men in Green took one more over to reach the victory line and that made all the difference and gave a boost to Zimbabwe’s NRR.

Pakistan had a clear tactic as between overs 16 to 25, the side played out 50 dot balls. The team had reached 96 runs at the end of the 16 over-mark, but from there on, they slowed the process and even the fans took notice of their approach.

So, why did Pakistan intentionally delay the victory? Well, as per the tournament rules, the points and NRR you earn against teams that qualify from your group carry over to the Super Six. Hence, only the points and NRR from the England and Zimbabwe game would have counted for the Pakistan team, and as a result, they indirectly helped Zimbabwe.

Had Scotland qualified, Pakistan’s big win over them would have also counted, but because Zimbabwe reached the next round, Pakistan’s huge win over the Chevrons will be carried forward in the next stage. This incident has been hailed by some as a stroke of genius, while others have also called it a deliberate move to harm the spirit of the game.

Could Pakistan face ICC's wrath after game manipulation?

Will Pakistan face any consequences for its actions? They might. The team used a clever tactic to reach the knockouts, but they could face ICC’s wrath. According to ICC’s Code of Conduct, Law 2.11, captains can face sanctions if they are found guilty of deliberately manipulating the result to boost the NRR, or if their actions affect the standings.

 The law doesn’t cover corruption, but the actions of the Pakistan side against Zimbawe does fall under it, and the Men in Green could be in the firing line as ICC is likely to take strict action against them.

Pakistan set to face arch-rivals India

After all the drama in the Pakistan-Zimbabwe clash, the Asian side is set to collide against their arch-rivals India in the Super 6 stage. If India manages to beat Zimbabwe in their last group stage match on January 24, the two teams will meet in an anticipated battle on February 1 in Bulawayo.

Moreover, that contest could potentially decide who goes through to the semi-finals.