Colombo, Feb 28: Pakistan face a must-win situation when they take on Sri Lanka in their final Super 8 fixture of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Saturday, knowing that only a dominant performance will keep their fading semifinal hopes alive.
Placed third in the group standings, Pakistan remain in contention for the second qualifying berth but are heavily dependent on net run rate. With just one point from two matches and a negative NRR of -0.461, Salman Ali Agha’s side have left themselves with a mountain to climb. To stay in the race, they must secure a commanding victory over already-eliminated Sri Lanka and significantly improve their net run rate.
Pakistan’s campaign has been marked by inconsistency. Sahibzada Farhan has been the lone bright spark with the bat, amassing 283 runs at an impressive average of 70.75, including a century and two half-centuries at a strike rate above 158.
Beyond him, contributions have been sporadic. Shadab Khan has chipped in with 111 runs, but senior names such as Babar Azam, Saim Ayub and skipper Agha have struggled to impose themselves.The onus will also be on Fakhar Zaman to deliver a match-defining knock. With the ball, Usman Tariq’s 10 wickets have provided some stability, while Shaheen Shah Afridi showed encouraging signs in patches.Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are playing for pride. Co-hosts of the tournament, they have endured a disappointing Super 8 phase following earlier promise.