Pakistan Remain in Semi-Final Race After New Zealand Eliminate Sri Lanka From ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
NEW DELHI, Feb 26, 2026: Pakistan remain in contention for a semi-final spot in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after New Zealand knocked co-hosts Sri Lanka out of the tournament with a decisive 61-run victory in Colombo on Wednesday.
The win ended Sri Lanka’s campaign and significantly boosted New Zealand’s chances of qualifying from Super Eights Group 2. With England already securing a semi-final berth, the final qualification spot from the group will be decided in the remaining matches.
New Zealand Strengthen Position With Dominant Win
Chasing a target of 169, Sri Lanka struggled throughout their innings and were restricted to 107 for 8, resulting in their elimination from the competition. The defeat marked Sri Lanka’s fifth consecutive failure to reach the semi-final stage since winning the tournament in 2014.
New Zealand’s comprehensive victory improved their net run rate to +3.050, placing them in a strong position to qualify alongside England.
Pakistan’s Qualification Depends on England vs New Zealand Result
Pakistan’s semi-final hopes now depend heavily on the outcome of the upcoming match between England and New Zealand in Colombo.
If New Zealand defeat England, they will finish with five points and secure qualification, eliminating Pakistan regardless of the result of their final match against Sri Lanka.
However, if England defeat New Zealand, Pakistan will have a chance to qualify by beating Sri Lanka in their final Super Eights match in Kandy. In that scenario, both Pakistan and New Zealand could finish with three points, and qualification would be determined by net run rate.
Net Run Rate Could Decide Final Spot
Pakistan face a challenging task to surpass New Zealand’s superior net run rate. For example, if England defeat New Zealand by around 50 runs, Pakistan would need to beat Sri Lanka by approximately 20 runs, assuming a first-innings total of about 170, to move ahead.
If Pakistan bat second, they would need to chase the target quickly, potentially within around 17.5 overs, to improve their net run rate sufficiently.
Tight Finish Expected in Group 2
With England already qualified and Sri Lanka eliminated, the final semi-final spot will be determined by the results of the remaining matches. Pakistan must secure a convincing victory and rely on England defeating New Zealand to keep their World Cup semi-final hopes alive.
