New Delhi . The competition in the Super-8 stage of T20 World Cup 2026 has reached an exciting turn. By defeating Sri Lanka national cricket team by 61 runs, New Zealand national cricket team not only eliminated them from the tournament but also put itself in a strong position in the race for the semi-finals. The Kiwi team, captained by Mitchell Santner, is currently in second place in the points table of Super-8 Group-2 with 3 points, while the Pakistan national cricket team is still in the race, but its fate is no longer in its own hands.
Pakistan’s first Super-8 match against New Zealand was canceled due to rain, due to which both the teams got one point each. After this, the Kiwi team strengthened its points by defeating Sri Lanka. Now the equation for Pakistan is clear, but not easy. He will have to register a win against Sri Lanka at any cost on 28th February. This victory is not just formal, but it is necessary to have a big margin.
Before this, on February 27, New Zealand will face the England cricket team which has already reached the semi-finals. If New Zealand wins this match then Pakistan will be directly out of the tournament. But if the England team beats the Kiwi team, then Pakistan’s hopes can get a boost.
However the story does not end here. Even after New Zealand’s defeat, mere victory will not suffice for Pakistan. He will also have to drastically improve his net run rate (NRR). Currently New Zealand’s net run rate is +3.050, while Pakistan’s is -0.461. The gap between the two is very big, which will not be easy to bridge.
According to the equation, if England beats New Zealand by 15 runs, Pakistan will have to win against Sri Lanka by at least 55 runs. Whereas if England wins by just 1 run, then Pakistan will have to defeat Sri Lanka by 69 runs. That means, the lesser the margin of victory of England, the more pressure will increase on Pakistan.
It is clear that Pakistan needs three things to reach the semi-finals, first, England’s victory; Second, a big win against Sri Lanka; And third, better net run rate. This challenge is not easy for the team led by Salman Agha, but in cricket, hope remains alive till the last ball.
Now everyone’s eyes are on the matches of 27th and 28th February. Will England open the way for Pakistan? Will Pakistan be able to achieve a big victory margin? The answers to these questions will decide who will reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2026.
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