Pakistan’s semifinal equation explained

Salman Ali Agha will lead his Pakistan side onto the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium for their final Super Eight clash against co-hosts Sri Lanka today, knowing exactly what they must do to secure a place in the semifinals of the ongoing T20 World Cup.

New Zealand needed to beat England in their final Super Eight encounter in Colombo last night to qualify for the semifinals. However, a four-wicket defeat for the Black Caps left their fate hanging in the balance, opening up a narrow path for Pakistan to reach the last four.

From Group 2 of the Super Eights, England have already qualified with six points from three wins in three matches. New Zealand have also completed all three of their group fixtures, collecting three points with a Net Run Rate (NRR) of +1.390.

Meanwhile, Pakistan -- whose match against New Zealand was washed out and who suffered defeat against England -- have one point from two games, with an NRR of -0.461.

Sri Lanka have already been eliminated. For Pakistan to progress further in the tournament, they must beat the Lankans with specific margins in mind. If Pakistan bat first, they need to win by at least 64 runs. If they bowl first, they must chase down the target inside 13.1 overs.

Any victory by a smaller margin than these two scenarios will see Pakistan exit the tournament.