"What Pakistan needs, besides prayers, to reach the semifinals."

Pakistan suffered a narrow 2-wicket defeat against England last night in the T20 World Cup Super Eight stage. While England secured their place in the semifinals, Pakistan’s route has become considerably more complicated. Nevertheless, hope is not entirely lost.

Pakistan has one remaining Super Eight match from Group 2, which will see Salman Agar’s side face Sri Lanka in Pallekele this Saturday at 7:30 PM Bangladesh Standard Time. Victory in this match is the first and most crucial step for Pakistan to keep their semifinal dreams alive.

However, winning alone may not be sufficient. Pakistan will also need to rely on the results of other Group 2 matches, hoping that other outcomes fall in their favour.

Group 2 Standings Before Final Matches

Note: Pakistan and New Zealand shared points in a rain-affected match, while England leads the group with two wins.

From this group, both England and Pakistan have one match remaining, while New Zealand and Sri Lanka have two matches each. The top two teams from each Super Eight group will progress to the semifinals.

Scenarios for Pakistan to Reach the Semifinals

Scenario 1 – Perfect Outcome:
If Pakistan defeats Sri Lanka and New Zealand loses both of their remaining matches (against England and Sri Lanka), the points table would look like this:

In this case, Pakistan would advance as the second-placed team from Group 2.

Scenario 2 – Equal Points with New Zealand:
If Pakistan wins against Sri Lanka and New Zealand wins one of their remaining matches, both teams would finish on 3 points. The team with the superior net run rate would secure the second semifinal spot.

Scenario 3 – Loss to Sri Lanka:
If Pakistan loses to Sri Lanka, their semifinal hopes would be over immediately.

Scenario 4 – Rain-Affected Match:
If the match against Sri Lanka is washed out, Pakistan would finish the Super Eight stage with 2 points. Should the Colombo match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand also be affected by rain, and if New Zealand loses their other match to England, the team with the best net run rate among Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand would progress to the semifinals.

In short, Pakistan’s journey to the semifinals now depends on a combination of on-field victory, favourable results elsewhere, and sometimes even the mercy of the weather.