Pakistan Eliminated From T20 World Cup: The Crucial Margin That Ended Their Dream

Pakistan bowed out of the T20 World Cup on Saturday despite beating Sri Lanka by five runs in their Super 8 clash in Kandy. After posting 212/8, Pakistan needed to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 or less to qualify for the semi-finals. With Sri Lanka making 207/6 in the chase, Pakistan missed out on a place in the Knockouts by 60 runs. The result allowed New Zealand to join table-toppers England in the semi-finals from Group 2 of the Super 8.

It looked achievable when Pakistan reduced Sri Lanka to 101-5 in the 12th over. But its hopes were foiled when Pavan Rathnayake and captain Dasun Shanaka led Sri Lanka to 148 in the 16th over.

But then Pakistan found itself in danger of failing to defend its highest ever T20 World Cup total, 212.

Shanaka began the last over against Shaheen Shah Afridi by slamming 4-6-6-6. Sri Lanka could pull off a heist with six runs needed off the last two balls.

But Shanaka missed trying to scoop the fifth ball and left the sixth, a yorker, thinking it was wide. It was not.

Pakistan won by five runs and bowed out of the tournament, a point behind New Zealand.

Sri Lanka were already out of semifinals contention but finished to applause from their home crowd after going down swinging.

Earlier, Pakistan posted 212/8 riding on Sahibzada Farhan's record-breaking century and a quickfire 84 from Fakhar Zaman. 

The duo put up a record T20 World Cup stand of 176, surpassing the previous mark of 175 by New Zealand's Finn Allen and Tim Seifert earlier in the tournament.

Farhan became the first batter to score two centuries in a single T20 World Cup edition, having also scored a ton against Namibia in the group stage.

England, New Zealand and South Africa have nailed semifinal spots. India and the West Indies will play for the last place on Sunday.

(With AP Inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

Pakistan Cricket Team New Zealand Cricket Team Sri Lanka Cricket Team T20 World Cup 2026 Cricket