New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner admitted that his side will be watching Pakistan’s final Super 8 clash against Sri Lanka with nerves after missing the chance to seal a semi-final spot themselves following their defeat to England on February 27.
England’s four-wicket win over New Zealand in Colombo confirmed their unbeaten march into the semi-finals as Group 2 toppers. The result left New Zealand stuck on three points from three games with a strong net run rate of +1.390, while Pakistan stayed alive with one point from two matches and a mathematical route still open. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Santner acknowledged that New Zealand’s chances of qualifying for the semi-finals were no longer in their own hands.
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“Pretty nervous. But yeah, I mean, it’s out of our control. We can’t really do much. Just kind of wait and see, and we either get on a plane to India or New Zealand,” Santner said.
“Yeah, I guess we had it in our control. It would have made things a lot easier if we won tonight. But yeah, there’ll be some nervous watching probably tomorrow just to see what happens,” he added.
With England already through, the spotlight now shifts to Pakistan’s clash against Sri Lanka in Pallekele, which will determine whether New Zealand stay alive or are knocked out.
HOW NEW ZEALAND MISSED THEIR CHANCE
New Zealand had their fate in their own hands heading into the final Super 8 game but could not get past England in a high-pressure encounter.
England restricted the Kiwis to 159, with Will Jacks playing a key all-round role by picking up 2 for 23 and later guiding the chase with an unbeaten 32 off 18 balls.
The loss proved costly. A win would have guaranteed New Zealand a semi-final berth, but instead, they now depend on Pakistan slipping up in their final match.
Santner admitted that the team had done several things right through the tournament but fell short in key moments.
“It’s always those little moments at the end or throughout an innings where you can be a little bit sharper whether it’s execution or in the field,” he said.
PAKISTAN OR NEW ZEALAND: WHO WILL PLAY SEMIS?
Pakistan’s path is open but challenging.
They must beat Sri Lanka convincingly to overtake New Zealand on net run rate. A victory by 65 runs or a chase completed within 13 overs could be enough to swing the equation in their favour.
With no rain forecast in Pallekele and Sri Lanka entering the match on the back of three consecutive defeats, Pakistan have a realistic opportunity to stay in contention.
For New Zealand, it now comes down to watching and waiting. The next semi-finalist from Group 2 will be decided not by their own performance, but by the outcome of Pakistan’s final push.
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