Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup now hinge on multiple factors as the Super Eights stage nears its conclusion.
After two matches in Super Eights Group 2, the Pakistan national cricket team are placed third on the points table with one point. Their only point came from a washed-out fixture against the New Zealand national cricket team, while they suffered a defeat against the England national cricket team.
England have already confirmed their semi-final spot after registering two wins in two matches and currently top the group with four points.
Pakistan’s qualification scenario is now closely tied to the outcome of the upcoming England vs New Zealand clash. New Zealand strengthened their position with a comprehensive victory over the Sri Lanka national cricket team, keeping their chances alive.
If New Zealand lose to England in their final Super Eights fixture, Pakistan will still have a pathway to the semi-finals. In that case, Pakistan must defeat Sri Lanka by a significant margin in their final group match to boost their Net Run Rate (NRR) and move into the knockout stage.
At present, Pakistan’s NRR stands at -0.461, meaning the margin of victory in their last game could prove decisive.
However, if New Zealand manage to defeat England, Pakistan will be eliminated from the tournament regardless of their result against Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka, currently at the bottom of the group after two consecutive defeats, are out of semi-final contention but could still influence the final standings.
With the Super Eights phase entering its final stretch, Pakistan’s semi-final fate depends not only on their own performance but also on how the remaining group fixture unfolds.
