T20 World Cup 2026: Pakistan semifinal qualification scenario after England vs Pakistan match

Published - 25 Feb 2026, 10:57 IST | Updated - 25 Feb 2026, 11:02 IST

Pakistan’s chances of qualifying for the semi-finals of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 have become extremely slim following their defeat to England in their second Super Eight fixture.

Pakistan entered the Super Eight stage after registering convincing wins over Namibia, the Netherlands, and the USA in the group phase, suffering their only defeat against India. However, their momentum has since stalled. Their opening Super Eight clash against New Zealand was washed out due to persistent rain, earning them just one point. They then suffered a narrow two-wicket loss to England, with captain Harry Brook smashing a match-winning century to dismantle Pakistan’s bowling attack.

With England already securing two victories, against Pakistan and Sri Lanka, they have qualified for the semi-finals. New Zealand currently have one point and two matches remaining, keeping the group wide open mathematically, though Pakistan’s path is complicated.

Semifinal qualification scenarios for each Super 8 team

If Pakistan defeat Sri Lanka, they will move to three points. Should England beat New Zealand and Sri Lanka also defeat New Zealand, England would finish with six points, Pakistan with three, and Sri Lanka with two. In this case, Pakistan would qualify alongside England.

If Pakistan beat Sri Lanka and England defeat New Zealand, England would again reach six points. If New Zealand then defeat Sri Lanka, both Pakistan and New Zealand would finish on three points. Qualification would then depend on Net Run Rate (NRR), with Pakistan needing a superior NRR to advance.

If Pakistan beat Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka defeat New Zealand, and New Zealand upset England, both Pakistan and New Zealand would end on three points. Once again, Pakistan’s semi-final hopes would hinge on maintaining a better NRR than New Zealand.