Pak Vs Sl: Pakistan Beat Sri Lanka but Miss Out on T20 World Cup Semifinals as New Zealand Advance
In a decisive Super Eights finale, pak vs sl finished with Pakistan edging Sri Lanka by five runs at Pallekele, a victory that still left Pakistan eliminated because New Zealand secured the second semi-final spot on net run-rate. The result settled the Group 2 pecking order even as individual milestones and selection changes marked the match.
Pak Vs Sl at Pallekele Cricket Stadium
The match took place at Pallekele Cricket Stadium on Saturday, February 28, with Sri Lanka winning the toss and choosing to bowl. Pakistan posted 212-8 in their 20 overs; Sri Lanka passed 148 in their chase but fell short by five runs. The fixture was the final Super Eights match for both teams in Group 2, and it arrived after New Zealand’s earlier results had already put a net run-rate equation at the centre of Pakistan’s fate.
Sahibzada Farhan’s century and a record-breaking opening stand
Sahibzada Farhan made 100 as part of Pakistan’s 212-8, and he broke the record for the most runs—383—in a single edition of the men’s T20 World Cup. Farhan and Fakhar put on a record-breaking 176 for the first wicket, underpinning Pakistan’s highest competitive total of the match.
Net run-rate mathematics and New Zealand’s advancement
Despite the five-run victory, Pakistan were eliminated because New Zealand clinched second place in Group 2 on net run-rate to advance to the last four. Before the match, Pakistan needed an emphatic win to overturn their net-run-rate deficit: they would have to beat Sri Lanka by roughly 65 runs or chase the target down in fewer than 13 overs, with both scenarios dependent on the outcome of the first innings. New Zealand’s earlier defeat opened a window for Pakistan, but New Zealand’s final standing ultimately rendered Pakistan’s win insufficient.
Selection changes: Babar, Ayub and Mirza replaced by Nafay, Naseem and Abrar
Pakistan made clear selection moves for the match, dropping Babar, Ayub and Mirza and bringing in Nafay, Naseem and Abrar. Separately, fast bowler Salman Mirza said Pakistan’s focus had always been on beating Sri Lanka, regardless of their qualification prospects; Pakistan also needed England to beat New Zealand handsomely in Colombo to help their cause, but ultimately had to post a big victory themselves to sneak into the final four on net run-rate.
Captain responses, dew and missed opportunities
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha reflected on the toss and conditions, saying that losing the toss made the match more challenging because of the dew and that the pitch was good. He noted execution problems and singled out Usman Tariq as having an off day despite a generally strong run in the tournament. Agha highlighted that the batting unit had been a recurring concern, particularly the middle order, and that if Pakistan had scored an extra 10–15 runs they might have been in a different position—though he conceded that even 160 would have been a challenging total.
Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka called it a close finish and praised the final bowling to Shaheen Afridi. Shanaka admitted it had been a tough campaign for Sri Lanka, apologised to the fans for the team’s shortcomings, and pointed out that missing two key bowlers had been a significant loss for their World Cup hopes, expressing hope they would return soon.
Context of the Super Eights and remaining fixtures
Pakistan’s road through the tournament had included a nervy three-wicket win over the Netherlands in a last-over finish and victories against the United States and Namibia, bookended by a heavy loss to India in Colombo. Their first Super Eights match against New Zealand was washed out in Colombo before defeats followed at the hands of England and a Harry Brook century in Kandy. Sri Lanka had earlier stormed through their group with wins over Ireland and Oman and a surprise win that eliminated Australia, but a shock loss to Zimbabwe cost them top spot; in the Super Eights they then lost to England and New Zealand, ending hopes of reaching the semifinals on home soil. England finished as group winners after beating Pakistan and Sri Lanka and securing top spot with a win over New Zealand.
Coverage, reaction channels and closing notes
Live radio commentary was available on Radio 5 Live Sport and an online 'Get Involved' feature allowed fans to respond during the match; a separate report by Timothy Abraham provided additional match detail. A Flourish graphic for the game could not be displayed in some browsers. Tournament coverage continues: the final block of Super 8 matches was scheduled to resume on Sunday at 09: 15 GMT, beginning with South Africa versus Zimbabwe and followed by a winner-takes-all encounter between India and West Indies.
What makes this notable is how a single net-run-rate calculation over several matches — not the result in Kandy alone — determined a team's progression, leaving Pakistan to reflect on individual milestones and selection questions rather than a place in the semifinals.
