The stage is set for a high-stakes encounter at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium Pakistan to take Sri Lanka In the last match of Super 8 T20 World Cup 2026. Although Sri Lanka have already been eliminated from the competition after back-to-back defeats, this encounter is a do-or-die ‘virtual quarter-final’ for the Men in Green. Pakistan were given a narrow lifeline thanks to England’s earlier win over New Zealand. However, to wrest a semi-final spot from the Kiwis, Salman Agha‘s side must not only win, but do so by a wide margin to overhaul Net Run Rate (NRR).
Why are Babar Azam and Kusal Mendis not playing today?
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka Star goalkeeper-prospect confirmed Where in Mandy excluded from the collision. Mendis was reportedly ruled out with an injury, then hamstring stiffness that persisted during the previous outing. With Sri Lanka already out of the tournament, the team management chose not to risk his debut by bringing in Kamil Mishara as his replacement. Additionally, Janith Liyanage replaced Dushan Hemanta to strengthen the middle order.
In a tactical move that sparked intense debate, Pakistan captain Agha confirmed it Babar Azam not part of the playing XI today. While no specific injury has been mentioned, reports suggest that Babar has been dropped after a string of underwhelming performances throughout the tournament, managing just 91 runs. They join him outside Saim Ayub and Salman Mirza. Pakistan went explosive to inject fresh energy into a must-win game Khawaja Nafayalong with the tempo spearhead Nasim Shah and mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed.
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Road to Semi-Finals: How Pakistan Can Qualify
Pakistan’s equation is mathematically simple but physically daunting. To exceed New Zealand’s NRR of +1,390, they must achieve one of the following scenarios:
Pakistan bat first: They need to win by at least 64-65 runs (considering the target score is 160).
If Pakistan win for the first time: If Sri Lanka sets a target (eg 161), Pakistan need to chase it down in 12.4 overs or less to secure their place in the knockouts.
While Pakistan had earlier posted a 102-run win against Namibia in the group stages, repeating such a feat against a wounded Sri Lankan side on the tough Pallekele surface remains a monumental task. If they fail to meet these restrictions, New Zealand will officially join England as the second semi-finalist from Group 2.
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