How can Pakistan qualify for T20 World Cup semi-final
Pakistan take on Sri Lanka in the crucial clash Saturday
Dubai: Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the T20 World Cup semi-finals are hanging by a thread after New Zealand eliminated Sri Lanka on Wednesday.
The Kiwis defeated the co-hosts by 61 runs in Colombo boosting their Net Run Rate (NRR) to +3.050 making them the strong favourites to advance to the semi-finals from Group 2 along with England.
Pakistan who are currently third in table must defeat Sri Lanka in their last Super 8s fixture on Saturday.
Pakistan have an NRR of -0.461 and need a 70-run win over Sri Lanka in their last match. Additionally, they are relying on England to beat New Zealand. The margin of England’s victory will significantly influence Pakistan’s qualification scenario.
Interesting equation
If England’s clash with New Zealand is washed out, the Kiwis will progress to the semi-finals. If England win by 20 runs, Pakistan would then need a 50-run victory against Sri Lanka to book their place in the last four.
While the equation is challenging, it is not impossible.
The task becomes even tougher if Sri Lanka bat first. Should Sri Lanka post 200, Pakistan would need to chase it down in under 15 overs. More realistically, if the target is around 150, Pakistan would have to complete the chase in fewer than 14 overs to boost their NRR sufficiently.
The advantage for Pakistan is clarity as England take on New Zealand a day before their match. That will give Pakistan a clear picture on the required margin before they take the field against Sri Lanka.
