Pakistani coach Mickey Arthur criticizes the run rate rule after being eliminated from World Cup semi-final. Both Pakistan and New Zealand have 11 points after their final group match, but New Zealand qualifies for the semis due to a higher run rate, although Pakistan won against New Zealand on June 26.
The ICC has been considering net run rate as their primary tie-breaker before the equation goes to head-to-head.
“I would certainly have liked them to consider head to head because then tonight we’d be in the semifinal,” Mickey said in the post-match media conference.
“I do think it needs a look. I certainly do. I think the number of wins, head to head, and then if there are three teams altogether, then I think the net run rate can sort it out. Because what it does and what it’s done to us is that one very poor game and you really battle to recover again,” Mickey continued.
The game Arthur refers to is Pakistan’s opening one of the tournament – their seven-wicket hammering by the West Indies.
Mickey added, “I think the nerves got us in the West Indies game, young team. We froze in that game. We then came back, dusted ourselves off, and beat England, then we got rained out against Sri Lanka, and we didn’t play a game for nine days. We didn’t train other than indoors, and we lost momentum again going into what was two very tough fixtures, Australia and India.”
The rules for qualifying the semi-final of World Cup 2019 were out well before the tournament started by ICC.