T20 World Cup 2026: Pakistan’s Semi-Final Hopes on Line Against Sri Lanka in Super Eight

Pakistan rang in a major opening change in their must-win Super Eight clash against Sri Lanka in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Saturday as skipper Dasun Shanaka won the toss and elected to bowl first. The high-stakes encounter is being played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, with Pakistan’s semi-final hopes hanging in the balance.

Pakistan opened with Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman, banking on an aggressive start to keep their qualification chances alive. The Salman Agha-led side faces a steep equation — they must beat Sri Lanka by 65 runs or chase the target within the required margin to secure a place in the knockout stage of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

If Pakistan fails to meet the qualification criteria, the New Zealand national cricket team will join the England cricket team as the second semi-finalist from Group 2. The pressure is firmly on Pakistan, who entered the contest needing both a victory and a strong net run rate boost.

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Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will look to capitalise on home conditions and derail Pakistan’s campaign. With knockout qualification on the line and permutations tightly balanced, the Super Eight clash promises to be a decisive moment in the tournament’s Group 2 race.

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