ICC T20 WC: How Pakistan can qualify for semifinals after England beat New Zealand by 4 wickets

England scored a victory over New Zealand in a nail-biting finish, winning by four wickets in their Super 8 T20 World Cup clash on Friday. The triumph keeps England’s record perfect in the stage and preserves Pakistan’s slim hopes of reaching the semifinals. England have now won three out of three matches, while New Zealand sit second in Group 2 with three points.

Pakistan, third in the group with one point, will need a comprehensive win over already-eliminated Sri Lanka on Saturday and a big-margin England victory over New Zealand to remain in contention for the semifinals. Specifically, Pakistan must defeat Sri Lanka either by at least 65 runs or by chasing the target within 13 overs.

With New Zealand holding three points and a superior net run rate of 3.050, Pakistan face a steep challenge. Their negative net run rate of -0.461 from two matches highlights the gap, and near-perfect performances from both batters and bowlers will be required to keep hopes alive.


Sahibzada Farhan has been Pakistan’s standout performer, scoring 283 runs at an average of 70.75, including a century and two fifties, at a strike rate of 158.10. Beyond him, no other specialist batter has reached three figures in the tournament. All-rounder Shadab Khan has the second-highest tally with 111 runs, while skipper Agha (44), Saim Ayub (70), and star batter Babar Azam (91) have struggled for consistency. Pakistan will rely on Fakhar Zaman to produce a crucial performance in their final Super 8 match.

In the bowling department, Usman Tariq has taken 10 wickets, while Shaheen Shah Afridi has shown glimpses of form. However, Pakistan will need their bowlers to deliver collectively to create a realistic path to the semifinals.

Sri Lanka already out of contention

Co-hosts Sri Lanka are already eliminated from the semifinals following defeats to England and New Zealand. Their final match against Pakistan will focus on pride and providing a positive finish for their fans. After a strong start with a win over Australia, Sri Lanka have lost three consecutive games to Zimbabwe, England, and New Zealand.

Key batters, including Pathum Nissanka, who scored a century against Australia, have been unable to maintain form. Sri Lanka’s batting order lacks depth, and their bowlers have struggled to consistently challenge opposition batters. In previous matches, they allowed New Zealand to claw back in the final overs and have faltered in powerplay situations, losing momentum and crucial matches.

England's win over New Zealand

Electing to bat first, New Zealand managed 159 for seven in their 20 overs. Several batters got starts but could not convert them into big scores. Glenn Phillips scored 39, Tim Seifert made 35, Finn Allen contributed 29, and Mark Chapman added 15, but none prolonged their stay at the crease.

For England, key wickets were claimed by Will Jacks (2/23), Adil Rashid (2/28), and Rehan Ahmed (2/28), with Liam Dawson also taking 1/32. Rachin Ravindra (3/19) was the standout bowler for New Zealand.

Chasing 160, England started shakily before contributions from several players steadied the innings. Tom Banton scored 33, Will Jacks remained unbeaten on 32, skipper Harry Brook contributed 26, Sam Curran made 24, and Rehan Ahmed finished 19 not out. Their combined efforts guided England to victory in 19.3 overs, maintaining their unblemished record in the Super 8 stage.

England’s win over New Zealand has created a narrow path for Pakistan to reach the semifinals. To keep their hopes alive, Pakistan must dominate Sri Lanka—winning by at least 65 runs or chasing within 13 overs—and rely on a significant England victory over New Zealand. With both form and net run rate against them, Pakistan face a difficult task, but high-scoring batting and disciplined bowling could still see them through to the last four.