Pakistan must secure a massive victory against Sri Lanka to reach the semi-finals

Pakistan will now face Sri Lanka in their final Super 8 match, where they need a big win to surpass New Zealand's net run rate.

Pakistan Semi-final Scenario: Pakistan's hopes of reaching the T20 World Cup semi-finals have been revived after England secured a thrilling four-wicket victory against New Zealand in Colombo on Friday. After struggling against strong teams earlier in the tournament, Pakistan had to rely on other results to keep their campaign alive. They needed England to defeat New Zealand. Harry Brook and his team achieved the target with just three balls to spare, giving Pakistan a new lease of life.

Pakistan Needs a Big Win

New Zealand dominated most of the match, but crucial runs in the last three overs from Will Jacks (32*) and Rehan Ahmed (19*) turned the tide, ending the Super 8 stage with a win. Pakistan will now face Sri Lanka in their final Super 8 match, where they will need a significant victory to surpass New Zealand's net run rate. Currently, New Zealand's net run rate stands at +1.390, while Pakistan's is -0.461.

Victory by 65 Runs or Within 13 Overs Required

If Pakistan bats first today, they will need to win against Sri Lanka by approximately 65 runs. If Pakistan chases the target, they must win the match within 13 overs. However, the equation might change slightly after the first innings' score.

New Zealand Only Manages 159 Runs

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, New Zealand scored 159 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in 20 overs. For the team, Tim Seifert scored 35 runs off 25 balls with the help of 3 fours and 2 sixes, Finn Allen scored 29 runs off 19 balls, and Glenn Phillips scored 39 runs off 28 balls with the help of 4 fours and one six. Meanwhile, for England, Adil Rashid took 2 wickets, conceding 28 runs in his four-over spell. Will Jacks also took two wickets, giving away 23 runs. Rehan Ahmed also succeeded in sending back two New Zealand batsmen.

Jacks and Rehan Ahmed Secure Victory

England's chase of the 160-run target set by New Zealand did not start well. With England at 117 for 6 wickets, the team was in trouble, and victory seemed distant. However, Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed forged an unbroken partnership of 44 runs in just 16 balls, guiding England to a four-wicket victory. Will Jacks scored 22 runs against Glenn Phillips in the 18th over of the innings, and this is where the entire match turned around. Rehan scored 19 runs off 7 balls and returned to the pavilion after securing the win for his team. In bowling, Rachin Ravindra took 3 wickets for New Zealand, conceding 19 runs.