Pakistan have been officially eliminated from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Despite setting a massive target of 213 in their final Super 8 fixture against Sri Lanka in Pallekele, Salman Ali Agha’s side failed to restrict the co-hosts below the requisite 148-run mark, allowing New Zealand to progress to the semi-finals on Net Run Rate (NRR). Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Live Score Updates, T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Match.

The NRR Equation

To overtake New Zealand in the Group 2 standings and secure a top-two finish, Pakistan needed a victory margin of at least 65 runs. Although Pakistan posted a formidable 212/8 in the first innings, Sri Lanka successfully crossed the 147-run threshold during their run chase.

This specific milestone mathematically extinguished Pakistan’s semi-final hopes, regardless of whether they ultimately won or lost the match against the tournament co-hosts.

New Zealand Qualify for Last Four

Consequently, New Zealand join England as the two official qualifiers from Group 2. The Black Caps advance to the final four courtesy of their superior +1.390 NRR, capitalising on Pakistan's inability to achieve the necessary mathematical swing in their final fixture.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 28, 2026 10:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).