In the T20 World Cup 2026 Super-8 clash, England secured a near-guaranteed spot in the semifinals by defeating Pakistan by two wickets. English captain Harry Brook played a captain's innings, scoring 100 runs off 51 balls, dramatically shifting the match and ensuring England's consecutive victory.
Now, Pakistan finds itself in a do-or-die situation, relying on results from other matches to advance in the T20 World Cup. With only 1 point from two matches, the first against New Zealand abandoned due to rain and a subsequent loss to England worsening circumstances, Pakistan must win its final match against Sri Lanka to keep semifinal hopes alive.
What Does the Qualification Math Say? Understand the Game
Pakistan's fate now hinges on outcomes of other matches.
If New Zealand loses both matches (against England and Sri Lanka) and Pakistan defeats Sri Lanka, Pakistan can advance with 3 points.
If New Zealand beats Sri Lanka but loses to England and Pakistan also beats Sri Lanka, both teams would have 3 points, necessitating a decision based on net run rate.
If New Zealand wins both its matches, it will directly reach the semifinals with 5 points, ending Pakistan's journey.
What Does PAK's Qualification Math Say?
In straightforward terms, Pakistan must defeat Sri Lanka in its final match while hoping that New Zealand loses its remaining matches against Sri Lanka and England. If this happens...
New Zealand would remain at 1 point, Sri Lanka would reach 2 points, and Pakistan would qualify directly for the semifinals with 3 points.
If the matter hinges on net run rate...
Should New Zealand win only one of its two matches, and Pakistan beats Sri Lanka by a large margin, what happens?
Both Pakistan and New Zealand would end up with 3 points each. The decision would then be made on net run rate (NRR). If Pakistan's run rate is better, they will proceed to the semifinals.
Brook's Century Became the Turning Point
England's Super-8 victory involved chasing a target of 164 runs despite early setbacks. Nevertheless, Brook assumed responsibility, with Will Jacks scoring 28 runs to support him, and England achieved the target with five balls to spare. Shahbaz Afridi showcased his prowess with an impressive spell of 4/30 for Pakistan, while Usman Tariq claimed two wickets. Before this, Pakistan had reached 164/9 thanks to Sahibzada Farhan's 63 runs and Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman scoring 25 runs each.
