Shruti Suman
A state of emergency has been declared in Fort Lauderdale due to severe flash floods in Florida, causing major disruptions. Hundreds of flights to and from South Florida airports have been grounded, leaving the Sri Lankan cricket team stranded in the city. Fort Lauderdale, one of the three venues in the USA scheduled to host T20 World Cup matches, has seen significant disruptions, including the washout of the Sri Lanka vs Nepal game due to heavy rain.
Governor Ron DeSantis noted that the flooding has impacted the operational capability of critical infrastructure such as interstates, roadways, airports, and schools. Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis also declared a state of emergency.
The Sri Lankan team, slated to fly to the Caribbean islands on Wednesday, had to delay their departure due to the severe weather. Sri Lanka, with slim chances of advancing to the Super 8 stage, will play the Netherlands in St. Lucia on Monday, June 17.
Why Pakistan Might Face Elimination Due to the “State of Emergency”
Central Broward Regional Park in Fort Lauderdale is set to host key matches this week, including crucial games for Pakistan and the USA as they vie for a place in the next round from Group A. USA plays Ireland on Friday, while Pakistan faces Ireland on Sunday.
If the USA beats Ireland or if the match is washed out, the USA will qualify for the Super 8 stage alongside India. In case of a washout, both USA and Ireland will get one point each, giving the USA a total of five points, while Pakistan can only reach a maximum of four points. This scenario would render Pakistan’s game on Sunday irrelevant, leading to their elimination.
However, if the USA loses to Ireland, Pakistan can still secure their spot by defeating Ireland on Sunday. India leads Group A with six points from three games (NRR +1.137) and has already secured a spot in the Super 8. The USA is currently second with four points from three games but has a lower NRR (+0.127) than Pakistan.
This means that if the USA loses to Ireland, Pakistan can qualify for the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup 2024 by beating Ireland, even by a narrow margin, in their final Group A match.
