England’s win keeps Pakistan hopes alive in T20 World Cup

Dubai: England’s four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the Group 2 Super 8 clash of the T20 World Cup at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Friday has given Pakistan’s semi-final hopes a significant boost.

Having already secured qualification for the last four, England’s win lifted them to the top of the group with six points. If New Zealand had won the contest, they would have advanced to five points and sealed a semi-final berth, which would have knocked Pakistan out of contention, as the maximum they could then achieve was three points.

Instead, England’s triumph has kept Pakistan firmly in the race. New Zealand currently sit second in the group with three points and a Net Run Rate (NRR) of +1.390, while Pakistan are third with one point and an NRR of -0.461, with one match remaining.

Led by Salman Agha, Pakistan still have a pathway to the second semi-final spot from Group 2. In their final Super 8 fixture against Sri Lanka, they must not only secure victory but also overturn New Zealand’s superior NRR.

To overtake the Kiwis and potentially set up a semi-final against South Africa, Pakistan would need a commanding win — either by approximately 65 runs or by successfully chasing their target within 13 overs. The exact qualification scenario will depend on the first-innings total in that decisive encounter.