The mathematical "mountain" proved too steep for the "Men in Green" as Pakistan is officially eliminated from the T20 World Cup 2026 on Saturday. Despite a record-shattering batting display in the first innings, Pakistan failed to meet the specific Net Run Rate (NRR) requirement during the defense against Sri Lanka, handing the final semi-final spot from Group 2 to New Zealand. Pakistan needed to defeat Sri Lanka by a margin of at least 67 runs to overhaul the Kiwis on the points table. To achieve this, the bowlers had to stop the co-hosts before they crossed the 147-run mark. However, the milestone was breached in the latter half of the chase, effectively ending Pakistan's campaign even before the final ball was bowled.
The moment Sri Lanka scored their 148th run, Pakistan’s qualification dreams evaporated. Even a victory from that point onward was purely academic, as their NRR could no longer surpass New Zealand's +1.390. The elimination came on a day when Sahibzada Farhan made history by shattering Virat Kohli’s record for most runs in a single tournament. His 100 off 60 balls took his tally to 383 runs, but it wasn't enough to carry his team across the line. Farhan and Fakhar Zaman (84) had earlier combined for a world-record 176-run opening stand, powering Pakistan to a massive 212/8.
| Team | Status | Points |
| England | Qualified (1st) | 6 |
| New Zealand | Qualified (2nd) | 3 |
| Pakistan | Eliminated | 3 |
| Sri Lanka | Eliminated | 0 |
