Pakistan have put themselves in a spot of dependence on other results as their hopes for a T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal place hangs on a balance.
After
a washout against New Zealand, they suffered a disappointing defeat at the hands of England. With that, the match against New Zealand and England would determine their fate.
How would England vs New Zealand determine Pakistan's Fate?
As England are playing against New Zealand, a win for England would keep Pakistan in the hunt. On the other hand, if the Kiwis win, Pakistan are eliminated from the tournament. Even if England wins, Pakistan will have to beat Sri Lanka and get their Net Run Rate over New Zealand in order to qualify for the semis.
England vs New Zealand Match
After batting first, New Zealand have posted 159 runs. On a challenging deck, England lost a few early wickets, but Tom Banton and Will Jacks revived their chase. Although England were behind in the chase, Rehan Ahmed played a gem of a cameo while Jacks played another blinder as England won the match by 4 wickets.
Pakistan Semifinal Qualification Scenario
The win for England has kept Pakistan alive in this T20 World Cup 2026. New Zealand and Pakistan are both in contention for the solitary semifinal spot.
To book their place, Salman Ali Agha and his team will have to beat Sri Lanka in their final Super Eight encounter on Saturday in Kandy. But only a win won't do for Pakistan as they would require a better NRR than the Blackcaps.
Pakistan Win Margin vs Sri Lanka
If Pakistan bat first, they will have to win the match against Sri Lanka by 64 runs. If Sri Lanka bat first, Pakistan will have to chase down the total in 13.1 overs.
Who will Pakistan face if they progress to Semifinal?
If Pakistan progress to the semifinals, they would likely face South Africa in Colombo.
