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Just when events took a dramatic turn 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World CupEngland beat New Zealand by four wickets in Colombo on Friday, opening the door to the Group 2 qualifying round and throwing a lifeline to Pakistan’s hopes of retaining their semi-final status. The result at the R. Premadasa Stadium turned a seemingly complex mathematical equation for the men in green into a simple but challenging path to the knockout stages.
England win shakes up Group 2 table
England were chasing a target of 160 but were in trouble early in the 2/2 over before skipper Harry Brook stabilized the innings. Will Jacks then contributed a solid 32 runs off 18 balls while Rehan Ahmed made a cameo appearance with an unbeaten 19 off just 7 balls. Seal the victory with three goals. The victory confirmed England’s unbeaten run and six-point lead from three Super 8 games, establishing themselves at the top of Group Two.
For New Zealand, the defeat means they end their Super 8 season with three points from three games, although they still have a respectable net rating of +1.390.
Current Group 2 standings
After Friday’s results, the Group 2 points table presents a clear picture:
- England – Advance to the semi-finals with 6 points
- New Zealand – 3 points (NRR: +1.390), activity completed
- Pakistan – 1 point (NRR: -0.461) with one game remaining
- Sri Lanka – 0 points, eliminated
Explained: Pakistan’s qualification scenario
Pakistan’s path to the semi-finals is now entirely within their control. They have to beat Sri Lanka in the final Super 8 match at the Palleke International Cricket Stadium on Saturday. However, victory alone is not enough; the magnitude of victory is crucial.
New Zealand have a better net run rate than Pakistan and the Salman Agha-led side need a dominant win to leapfrog the Black Caps for the second semi-final spot.
if pakistan bats first
If Pakistan win the toss and choose to bat, they will need to win by at least 64 runs to surpass New Zealand’s NRR. The exact requirements vary slightly depending on the total number of releases:
- If Pakistan score 250 runs, they need to win by at least 66 runs
- If Pakistan scores 200 points, they need to win by at least 65 runs
- If Pakistan score 150, they need to win by at least 64 runs
- If Pakistan scores 100 points, they need to win by at least 62 runs
if pakistan bowls first
If Pakistan are called upon to pursue, they will have to achieve their goals in unusual haste:
- If Sri Lanka score 250, Pakistan need to win in 14.3 overs or less
- If Sri Lanka score 200, Pakistan need to win in 13.5 overs or less
- If Sri Lanka score 150, Pakistan need to win in 13.1 overs or less
- If Sri Lanka score 100, Pakistan need to win in 12.2 overs or less
The match against Sri Lanka was effectively the knockout match for Pakistan. If they fail to reach the required winning percentage, New Zealand will advance to the semi-finals due to their superior net winning percentage.
