Pakistan needed to win by 64 runs to leapfrog New Zealand on Net Run Rate (NRR) and qualify for the semifinals of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The Men in Green were given a late scare by Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka but ultimately scraped through a win by 5 runs at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.
Chasing 212/8, Sri Lanka needed 28 off the final over with their skipper Shanaka batting like a man on a mission. Shanaka started the final over with a boundary before smashing Shahid Afridi for three back-to-back sixes to give his team hope of a late surge to victory. Afridi recovered to close out the over with two dots as Shanaka finished with 76* off just 31 balls, in an innings decorated with 8 sixes and 2 fours.
The win sees Pakistan match New Zealand's points tally of 3 points but crucially they remain in third place with a negative NRR of -0.123 falling well short of the Kiwis' total of 1.390.
The result means three out of the four semifinal spots have been confirmed with New Zealand joining South Africa and England in the knockouts. The final berth is up for grabs in a straight up shootout tomorrow between India and West Indies who square up at the Eden Gardens.
Here's how the T20 World Cup Points Table stands after Pakistan vs Sri Lanka in Pallekele:
| Super Eights - Group 2 | ||||||
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | No Result | Points | Net Run Rate |
| England | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1.096 |
| New Zealand | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1.39 |
| Pakistan | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -0.123 |
| Sri Lanka | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -1.95 |
| Super Eights - Group 1 | ||||||
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | No Result | Points | Net Run Rate |
| South Africa | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2.89 |
| West Indies | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1.791 |
| India | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -0.1 |
| Zimbabwe | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -4.475 |
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