Chasing a competitive target of 160 runs set by New Zealand, England reached the total in 19.3 overs, sealing the win in the final over of the match. The result denied New Zealand a strong opportunity to comfortably secure a place in the semi-finals.
Had New Zealand emerged victorious, Pakistan’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals would have been effectively dashed, regardless of the outcome of today’s (28) match against Sri Lanka.
However, the tournament equation remains alive. Pakistan can still book a place in the semi-finals if Sri Lanka win today’s match by a margin of 64 runs, or if they successfully chase down a target set by Pakistan within 13.1 overs.
With qualification scenarios now hinging on net run rate, today’s encounter promises to be a high-stakes battle in the race for the final four.
