Pakistan will face an uphill task when they take on Sri Lanka in a crucial Super 8 match at the Pallekele International Stadium on Saturday. But Pakistan’s fate involves an additional twist: the weather.
England did them a huge favor on Friday by beating New Zealand, denying the Kiwis a clear path to the knockout stages. Now the fate of Pakistan is in their hands. As it stands, New Zealand is second in Group B with three points and a good net run rate of +1.390. As for Pakistan, they have one point after two matches (clearance number: -0.461).
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To beat New Zealand, Pakistan must either beat Sri Lanka by nearly 64 runs or chase the target by around 13.1 runs (assuming a 160-run target).
pac vs sl T20 World Cup Super 8s: But what if rain intervenes?
The equation is simple: a loss in the Pakistan-Sri Lanka match would give New Zealand a place in the semi-finals. Pakistan picked up their only point in the Super 8s after losing their previous match against New Zealand, but another rain-affected match will take them to just two points – still short of New Zealand’s tally.Currently, the Super 8 Group 2 points table is as follows:England – 6 points, 3 games, return rate +1.096New Zealand – 3 points, 3 games, return rate +1.390Pakistan – 1 point, 2 games, NRR -0.461
secret Lanka – 0 points, 2 games, NRR -2.800According to AccuWeather, there is only a 1% chance of rain in Pallekele on Saturday, with temperatures ranging between 19-26°C.If Pakistan manages to qualify, the first semi-final will be played in Colombo. If New Zealand advances, the match will be moved to Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
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Pakistan lead 17-12 in T20Is against Sri Lanka and are 4-2 in the encounters since 2025, but this Super 8s encounter could well hinge on the weather.Sri Lanka lineup: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (W), Charith Asalanka, Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka (C), Dushan Hemantha, Doneth Welalaje, Dushmantha Chameera, Mahesh Thekshana, Dilshan Madhushanka, Kusal Perera, Pramod Madhushan, Janeth Liyanage, Kamil Mishara.Pakistan lineup: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (w), Muhammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq, Khawaja Nafi, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf.