Pakistan Stay in Semi-Final Race After England Down New Zealand

India-Two-time champions England cricket team kept their campaign alive in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with a tense four-wicket victory over New Zealand national cricket team in a decisive Super Eights encounter at R. Premadasa Stadium on Friday.

Opting to bat first, New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner saw his decision fall short as his side posted 159/7 in 20 overs against England’s spin-dominated attack. Middle-order batter Glenn Phillips led the scoring with a brisk 39 off 28 balls. Openers Tim Seifert (35) and Finn Allen (29) also made valuable contributions.

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England’s bowlers shared the spoils, with Will Jacks, Adil Rashid, and Rehan Ahmed claiming two wickets each, while Liam Dawson picked up one.

In reply, England successfully chased down the 160-run target with three balls to spare, finishing at 160/6. A crucial unbeaten 44-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Jacks and Rehan proved decisive. Jacks remained not out on 32 off 18 balls, striking four boundaries and a six, while Rehan smashed an unbeaten 19 off just seven deliveries, including two sixes and a four.

For New Zealand, Rachin Ravindra was the standout bowler, taking 3/19 in his four overs. Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, and Phillips grabbed one wicket each.

The defeat has complicated New Zealand’s path to the semi-finals, while simultaneously boosting Pakistan national cricket team’s chances of advancing. Pakistan are now set to face co-hosts Sri Lanka national cricket team in their final Group 2 Super Eights fixture in Kandy on Saturday, with a place in the last four potentially at stake.

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Pakistan, placed third in Group 2 standings with one point in two matches, now need to beat Sri Lanka by around 65 runs or chase down the target in 13.1 overs to better New Zealand’s net run rate of 1.390.

The Green Shirts’ net run rate, however, currently stands at a negative 0.461, and if they fail to beat Sri Lanka by a substantial margin, New Zealand would join England in qualifying for the semi-finals from Group 2.