Sri Lanka will host Pakistan on Saturday, 28th February, at the Pallakele International Cricket Stadium. The match is scheduled to start at 7:00 PM IST. Ahead of the game, former India opener Virender Sehwag has predicted that Pakistan will not make the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2026.
Sehwag stated that it is unlikely for the Salman Ali Agha-led team to either win big or chase early to stay in contention for the semi-finals after England’s win over New Zealand in the Super 8s.
England secured a four-wicket win over New Zealand in a Super 8 match at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday, February 27. The Harry Brook-led team finished on top of Group 2 after winning all three of their Super 8 matches. A win for the Black Caps would have ended Pakistan’s semifinal hopes.
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It Is Not That Easy for Pakistan – Virender Sehwag on Semi-Final Chances
During a discussion on Cricbuzz, Virender Sehwag shared his view on Pakistan’s qualification chances in the T20 World Cup 2026. The former India opener said that the task is extremely difficult.
“It is not that easy for Pakistan. The prayers were accepted, and England won. But, the prayers of their people are not going to work for Pakistan. They have been praying for so long, and it has not worked. So, I do not think this is possible. If they somehow qualify, very good,” Sehwag said.
“That is not going to happen,” Sehwag stated when the host said that if Salman Ali Agha’s team bat first and score 160 runs, they would need to win by more than 60 runs.
If Pakistan are chasing a target of 160 set by Sri Lanka, they would need to finish the chase with more than 40 balls to spare. “That is also not going to happen,” Sehwag remarked.
Pakistan Are Not Even Making 160 in 20 Overs – Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag said that the scenarios required for Pakistan’s qualification are not realistic. He stated that Sri Lanka collapsing for around 90 is not possible. Sehwag added that Pakistan cannot score 160 runs at the required pace with 40 balls to spare.
“If they score 160 and then win by 60 runs, Sri Lanka would have to play extremely poor cricket. They would need to be bowled out for around 90, which is not possible,” Virender Sehwag stated.
“Forget about making 160 that fast, Pakistan are not even making 160 in 20 overs consistently. How will they make 160 in 14 overs? That is why I’m saying the prayers of their people were only for England, and those worked,” he added.
Pakistan Will Have to Play Overall Good Cricket – Manoj Tiwary
Manoj Tiwary also shared his views on Pakistan’s qualification chances during the discussion. Tiwary said that if both batters perform well while chasing in the second innings, Pakistan could have a chance. However, he added that the team would need an all-round effort to make qualification possible.
“The kind of cricket Sri Lanka have played in the last 2 matches gives a slight ray of hope. After Fakhar Zaman’s arrival, Sahibzada Farhan could get a supporting hand. Farhan has not scored only against India, he has scored against everyone else and is currently the highest run-getter,” Tiwary said.
“If these two batters fire while chasing in the second innings, there seems to be at least some possibility of winning. Apart from that, they will have to play overall good cricket,” he added.
Also read: “Bat like Virender Sehwag” – Rehan Ahmed reveals Brendon McCullum’s message after victory over New Zealand