New Zealand suffered a four-wicket defeat against England in their last Super Eight stage encounter of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The defeat left the Kiwis second on the points table with three points and a net run rate of 1.390, giving Pakistan a chance to qualify for the semi-finals by winning their final match against Sri Lanka.
As New Zealand’s net run rate is better than that of the Men in Green, a win against Sri Lanka alone will not be enough for Pakistan to reach the semi-finals, as they must also depend on certain scenarios.
If the Men in Green bat first against Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium tomorrow, they must defeat the co-hosts by 64 runs to surpass New Zealand’s net run rate and qualify for the semi-finals.
If the Salman Agha-led side bowls first, they must chase Sri Lanka’s total in 13.1 overs to overtake New Zealand, move into second place, and join England from Group 2 in the semi-finals.
If the 2009 champions advance to the semi-finals, they will play Semi-Final One in Colombo on 4 March against the team that finishes top of Super Eight Group 1.
As Sri Lanka are already out of the tournament, if Pakistan fail to qualify for the semi-finals, the first semi-final will instead be held in Kolkata, India.