Pakistan face must-win clash against Sri Lanka today
Cricket
After England defeated New Zealand, Pakistan were given a slim chance to qualify.
(Web Desk) - Pakistan will take on Sri Lanka today (Saturday) in their final Super Eight match of the T20 World Cup in Pallekele, knowing that only a win will keep their hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive.
The match will start at 6.30pm Pakistan time.
Pakistan are currently on one point in Group 2 and have a net run rate of -0.461.
After England defeated New Zealand, Pakistan were given a slim chance to qualify.
However, to move ahead of New Zealand on net run rate, Pakistan will need to beat Sri Lanka by more than 65 runs if batting first.
If chasing, they must reach the target in around 13 overs. The exact equation will depend on the first innings total.
So far in the tournament, Pakistan have not recorded a win of that scale.
Their batting has struggled to score quickly in the middle overs, and the team has lacked big finishes.
They will need a much stronger overall performance today.
Sri Lanka, led by Dasun Shanaka, have already been eliminated from the tournament after losses to England and New Zealand in the Super Eight stage.
They will be playing only for pride in their final match.
If Pakistan manage to secure a big win, they could still qualify for the semi-finals. Otherwise, their campaign in the tournament will come to an end.
