Group A - Bangladesh, India, New Zealand, Pakistan

[honestbharani]

If NZ wanted to, they could leave some of their squad in Pakistan and tell them not to bother travelling to Dubai. It's a 4 hour flight back to Lahore where they know their semi will be.

Dubai to Chennai is 4 hours mate. Pretty sure Dubai to Lahore is like 2 hours max. The flight to Karachi from Lahore is potentially longer.

 

[James]

If NZ wanted to, they could leave some of their squad in Pakistan and tell them not to bother travelling to Dubai. It's a 4 hour flight back to Lahore where they know their semi will be.

I'd rest Bracewell, Henry, O'Rourke, and Jamieson for Mitchell, Smith, Duffy and Chapman. No point risking injury ahead of the semis.

 

[Molehill]

Are there any proper examples where this (looked like it) actually happened? I know AUS did a go-slow against the Windies in their group game in 1999 trying to knock out NZ(the irony), but there were points to be carried over to the super 6's if they did so. NZ similarly gave up on a chase in the tri-series with AUS/SA in 2001/02 to hurt AUS's chances of making the finals, but NRR was a motivation for sure.

The most memorable speculation I head about this sort of thing was Pakistan supposedly planning to lose their last 2 group games in the 1996 WC, to avoid travelling to Bangalore and play the quarters in Faisalabad instead (the days where host nations played where they were told to). As it happened, they won both and played IND in a pretty unforgettable game in BLR..

Funnily enough, I've just seen something from a Rugby 7's match between England and Argentina. England were about to score a try with 2 mins to go, but it was in neither of the teams' interests to carry on playing after that as both would go through on points difference and knock Canada out. So basically, nothing happened for 2 minutes as the English player didn't put the ball down and no Argentinian player challenged him.

Of course, the most famous was from the 1982 Football World Cup when W Germany and Austria played out a 1-0 win which suited both sides and no one tried to score after the winner in the 10th minute. As a result, the final round of group games have always been played at the same time since then.

 

[Qlder]

Dubai to Chennai is 4 hours mate. Pretty sure Dubai to Lahore is like 2 hours max. The flight to Karachi from Lahore is potentially longer.

You still have to get to airport 3 hours before for international flight, plus immigration and customs at other end so even a 2 hour flight is maybe 7 hours travelling hotel to hotel...

....meanwhile Indian team are relaxing by the pool or getting massages in the one hotel they stay at for the whole tournament

 

[honestbharani]

You still have to get to airport 3 hours before for international flight, plus immigration and customs at other end so even a 2 hour flight is maybe 7 hours travelling hotel to hotel...

....meanwhile Indian team are relaxing by the pool or getting massages in the one hotel they stay at for the whole tournament

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

You still have to get to airport 3 hours before for international flight

Are you my mum

 

[SteveNZ]

I'd rest Bracewell, Henry, O'Rourke, and Jamieson for Mitchell, Smith, Duffy and Chapman. No point risking injury ahead of the semis.

I wouldn't, cricket is the best build-up. Jamieson needs to play, he hasn't played at this level for a long time. Bracewell is in outstanding form, he won't want to rest and nor should he. Henry, OK I could probably advocate for that but again, he'll want to test himself against the best. O'Rourke needs to learn to bowl against quality opposition with a white ball on flat pitches - he has proven recently he's a hell of a bowler in terms of skill set, but doesn't quite know where to go when he's getting wacked.

To me, the best XI plays. I'd like to see what that is, whether Conway drops out or Young does. I'd suggest it should be Devon.

 

[SteveNZ]

You still have to get to airport 3 hours before for international flight, plus immigration and customs at other end so even a 2 hour flight is maybe 7 hours travelling hotel to hotel...

....meanwhile Indian team are relaxing by the pool or getting massages in the one hotel they stay at for the whole tournament

In all seriousness, it is a bit of a slap in the face that Pakistan had to travel twice based on the Dubai game, in a tournament they are hosting.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Youre supposed to complain about this in advance so that people can ignore your complaints at a slightly earlier time.