Pakistan suffered a two-wicket defeat to England in the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 despite Farhan’s 63. Harry Brook’s unbeaten 100 off 51 sealed the chase, leaving Pakistan’s semifinal hopes hanging on their final match and other group results.
Pakistan suffered a two-wicket defeat to Englandin their second T20 World Cup 2026 Group 2 Super 8 match at the Pallekale International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on Tuesday, February 24.
After posting a total of 164/9 in 20 overs, thanks to Sahibzada Farhan’s 63-run knock, Pakistan failed to defend it as England chased down the 166-run target with just five balls to spare in the final over. Pakistan bowlers were completely dominated by Harry Brook, who played a captain’s knock of 100 off 51 balls, including 10 fours and 4 sixes, at a strike rate of 196.08, sealing a thrilling victory for England.
Pacer Shaheen Afridi led the bowling attack with figures of 4/30 at an economy rate of 7.50 in his spell of four overs. Mohammad Nawaz (2/26) and Usman Tariq (2/31) together picked four wickets. However, their efforts went in vain as Pakistan failed to contain England in the crucial final overs.
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Pakistan’s Semifinal Hopes Hanging in the Balance
With a two-wicket defeat to England, Pakistan’s chances of qualifying for the semifinal have become a little tougher. Their opening Super 8 match against New Zealand was washed out due to rain at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, sharing a point with the Kiwis as no result was possible due to persistent rain.
With the opening Super 8 match being washed out, the clash against England was much more crucial for Pakistan, who finished second in the group stage, to keep their hopes alive for the semifinal. However, the narrow-loss has put Pakistan in a must-win situation heading into their final Super 8 encounter.
With just one across two matches and a net run rate of -0.461, the Men in Green, led by Salman Ali Agha, now find themselves under immense pressure heading into their final Super 8 fixture, which will decide their fate in the tournament. Since their opening match in the Super 8 was washed out, Pakistan managed to stay alive in the tournament; otherwise defeat to New Zealand would have eliminated them from the marquee event.
Meanwhile, England became the first team to qualify for the semifinals of the T20 World Cup 2026. The Three Lions, led by Harry Brook, are currently table toppers in Group 2 with two wins, accumulating four points, and have a NRR of +1.491.
England’s final standings in the Super 8 will be determined by the outcome of their remaining fixture, but their strong net run rate has already strengthened their position heading into the semifinals.
Can Pakistan Still Qualify After Defeat to England?
After a washout and a defeat, Pakistan have only one Super 8 fixture left, against Sri Lanka, which will be a do-or-die clash for the Men in Green. A win is mandatory to keep their hopes alive, but qualification will also depend on the result of the other Group 2 matches and the final net run rate standings.
Here comes the New Zealand factor, which means the Kiwis could play a decisive role in Pakistan’s qualification scenario. If the Mitchell Santner-led side loses their remaining two fixtures against Sri Lanka and England, Pakistan will finish second in Group 2 if they win against Sri Lanka.
In case New Zealand win one of their remaining two fixtures and Pakistan defeat Sri Lanka, the semifinal spot will come down to the net run rate, as two teams end up on three points after three matches, making the margin of victory crucial for the Men in Green. If New Zealand wins both matches, Pakistan will be eliminated regardless of their result against Pakistan.
The Men in Green are currently in a situation where they either have to secure a dominant victory with a better NRR over Sri Lanka and hope other results swing in their favour, or risk an early exit from the T20 World Cup 2026, despite staying mathematically alive until the final Super 8 fixture.
