Pakistan suffered a narrow two-wicket defeat to England in last night’s Super 8 clash of the T20 World Cup. While England secured their semi-final berth with this victory, Pakistan’s path to the last four has become significantly more complicated. However, hope is not entirely extinguished.
From Group 2 of the Super 8 stage, Pakistan has one remaining fixture. They will face Sri Lanka at Pallekele on Saturday, 7:30 PM Bangladesh time. This is Pakistan’s final match in the Super 8 stage. To keep their semi-final hopes alive, Pakistan must win this encounter.
A win alone, however, will not guarantee Pakistan a semi-final place. The result of the other Group 2 match will also play a critical role. Essentially, Pakistan must hope for favourable outcomes elsewhere to enhance their chances of progressing.
Current Group 2 Standings
| Team | Matches Played | Points | Net Run Rate (NRR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 2 | 4 | +1.491 |
| New Zealand | 1 | 1 | 0.000 |
| Pakistan | 2 | 1 | -0.461 |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | 0 | -2.550 |
Note: Pakistan and New Zealand shared points after their rain-affected match.
Both England and Pakistan have one more match remaining, while New Zealand and Sri Lanka have two each. The top two teams from each Super 8 group will advance to the semi-finals.
Pakistan’s Semi-Final Scenarios
Scenario 1 – Win and Favourable Losses
If Pakistan defeats Sri Lanka, they must hope New Zealand loses both remaining games against England and Sri Lanka. In that case, the final Group 2 table would read:
| Team | Points |
|---|---|
| England | 6 |
| Pakistan | 3 |
| Sri Lanka | 2 |
| New Zealand | 1 |
Pakistan would then advance as the second-placed team in the group.
Scenario 2 – Win with One New Zealand Victory
If New Zealand wins one match and loses the other while Pakistan beats Sri Lanka, both teams would finish with 3 points. The team with the superior net run rate would then qualify for the semi-final.
Scenario 3 – Loss Ends Hopes
A defeat against Sri Lanka would eliminate Pakistan from semi-final contention, regardless of other results.
Scenario 4 – Rain-Affected Matches
If Pakistan’s match against Sri Lanka is washed out, they would finish with 2 points. Should the Colombo clash between Sri Lanka and New Zealand also be affected by rain, both teams would similarly end with 2 points. In this case, the team with the highest net run rate among the three would advance to the semi-final.
In short, Pakistan’s semi-final dream rests on a combination of on-field performance and a degree of luck from other results — particularly weather-related interruptions. Victory against Sri Lanka is non-negotiable, but the team must also hope for favourable outcomes elsewhere to keep the last-four berth within reach.