Pakistan’s journey in the T20 World Cup 2026 could end on Friday. Everything now depends on the match between England and New Zealand at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Pakistan, led by Salman Ali Agha, are in a tough position. They have not won any match in the Super 8 Group 2. England have already qualified for the semi-finals with two wins.
At present, England are on four points from two matches with a Net Run Rate of +1.491. New Zealand have three points from two games with an impressive NRR of +3.050. Pakistan have one point and an NRR of -0.461. Sri Lanka are at the bottom with zero points.
Pakistan have only one game left. They will face Sri Lanka on Saturday.
Two Clear Scenarios for Pakistan
If England defeat New Zealand, Pakistan can still qualify. But they must beat Sri Lanka. In that case, Pakistan and New Zealand could both finish on three points. The semi-final spot will then be decided by Net Run Rate. Pakistan will need New Zealand to lose heavily. They will also need a big win over Sri Lanka.
If New Zealand beat England, Pakistan will be knocked out. Even a win against Sri Lanka will not be enough. If the England vs New Zealand match is washed out, Pakistan will also be eliminated.
New Zealand come into the match with confidence. Their 61-run win over Sri Lanka boosted their NRR. Captain Mitchell Santner will lead a strong spin attack. England’s batting, led by Harry Brook, will look to respond strongly.
In Group 1, India kept their hopes alive with a 72-run win over Zimbabwe in Chennai. They now face West Indies in a must-win match at Eden Gardens on Sunday.
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