Fate has not fully moved away from Pakistan. Despite not getting a win in two group matches, Pakistan is still in the race of contenders. As New Zealand has failed to secure a win against England, it only made Pakistan's road to the semis wider. Pakistan’s first match in the Super8’s against New Zealand had been washed out due to rain, and they also got a defeat from England. With one point in two matches, Pakistan will try to defeat Sri Lanka, who will come to play their last game of this World Cup and try to be the party spoilers for Pakistan.
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Qualification scenario for Pakistan
To get into the semis, Pakistan has to do many things correctly; if they win in this match, they will reach only three points same as New Zealand. Currently, after three matches, New Zealand is standing with a positive net run rate of +1.390 and Pakistan, after two matches, has a negative run rate of -0.461. To surpass this, Pakistan has to defeat Sri Lanka by 63 runs or more, and if they are chasing, then they have to chase it down in just 13 overs.
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This situation can go wrong for them and has a very low chance of getting into the semis. The Sri Lankan team has shown great resilience throughout the tournament, and the contest between the two Asian giants will be an interesting one. Though Pakistan has a better head-to-head record so far. In the 24 Twenty -20 internationals, Pakistan has able to win 14 matches, and Sri Lanka won 10 matches.
What to expect?
The fixture in Pallekele will be played on the same strip that hosted the England and Pakistan encounter. That surface offered noticeable support to the seamers, particularly with early lateral movement under fresh conditions. With Kandy experiencing a dry spell throughout the week, a pattern expected to continue into the weekend, similar pitch behaviour is likely, potentially aiding pace again before it settles.
