KANDY: Former champions Pakistan crashed out of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after failing to restrict co-hosts Sri Lanka to 147 runs in the Super Eights match at Pallekale International Stadium on Saturday.
The 2009 champions were put in to bat first in the crucial Group 2 match by Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaga – a result that backfired as the Green Shirts amassed a mammoth total of 212/8 in their 20 overs, thanks to a century from opener Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar’s Fakhar.
Despite posting a massive score on the board, the Pakistan bowlers were set to have an uphill task to restrict Sri Lanka to 147 or less to qualify for the T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals.
However, Pawan Ratnayake’s unbeaten half-century saw Sri Lanka breach the aforementioned score in 15.5 overs.
As a result, regardless of a win against Sri Lanka in the ongoing tournament, Pakistan will remain third in the rankings as they will be behind New Zealand’s net run rate of 1.390.
The 2009 champions, who suffered a group-stage exit from the previous edition of the T20 World Cup in 2024, have had another poor campaign since finishing as runners-up in 2022 as they failed to reach the knockouts.
Pakistan had a successful start to their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign as they defeated the Netherlands and the United States (USA) in their opening two matches before suffering defeat at the hands of arch-rivals India.
The former champions then booked their place in the Super Eights with a comprehensive 102-run win over Namibia in their last group-stage match and are second on the points table with six points from four matches.
Pakistan were then washed out against New Zealand, which had to win the remaining matches against England and Sri Lanka respectively.
The Green Shirts then took on England and succumbed to a two-wicket defeat courtesy of Harry Brooks, which hinged on the outcome of the remaining Group 2 matches.
But not all results were done as New Zealand won one of their two remaining T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight matches against Sri Lanka.