Thanks to England's thrilling victory over New Zealand, the Pakistani team remains firmly in contention for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. On February 28 (Saturday), the Pakistani team is set to face Sri Lanka at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele. This match will decisively clarify the semifinal contenders from Group 2. Pakistan needs a convincing win against Sri Lanka to secure a semifinal spot, overshadowing New Zealand's net run rate.
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If Pakistan bats first, it needs to defeat Sri Lanka by at least 64 runs. If they are chasing, the match should conclude in 13.1 overs. Failure to achieve this would directly place New Zealand in the semifinals, making the match pivotal due to the net run rate factor.
Currently, Pakistan's net run rate stands at -0.461, while New Zealand's is 1.390. New Zealand has 3 points, whereas Pakistan has 1. It's a do-or-die situation for Pakistan, with New Zealand eyeing the match outcome closely. Should the match be washed out, New Zealand will automatically qualify for the semifinals. England sits atop Group 2 with 6 points.
Source: aajtak
According to the equations, if New Zealand reaches the semifinals, the tournament's first semifinal will be held on March 4 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, while the second semifinal is scheduled for March 5 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. It will be fascinating to see whether Pakistan causes a major upset in Pallekele or New Zealand secures their spot in the semifinals.
At one point, New Zealand appeared robust against England. By 16.5 overs, England's score was 117 for 6. From there, Rehan Ahmed (19 not out) and Will Jacks (32 not out) came together to form a crucial 44-run partnership, steering the chase with maturity and composure. England clinched victory within 19.3 overs, sealing the match. Earlier at Colombo's R. Premadasa Stadium, New Zealand had set a total of 159 runs after batting first.
England has already secured its semifinal berth. However, this result has dramatically altered the scenarios in Group 2. The math is clear—Pakistan needs to win by a significant margin to advance to the semifinals. Failing that, New Zealand will enter as the second team from Group 2. All eyes are now on the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka clash that will determine who joins England in the final four.
