New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner admitted his team will be watching Pakistan’s Super 8 final against Sri Lanka with nerves after missing out on a chance to seal their place in the semi-finals after defeat by England on February 27.
England win by four wickets over New Zealand in Colombo, they confirmed their unbeaten run to the semi-finals as winners of Group 2. The result left New Zealand stranded on three points from three matches with a strong net rate of +1.390, while Pakistan stayed alive with one point from two matches and a mathematical path still open. In the post-match press conference, Santner acknowledged this New Zealand’s chances to advance to the semi-finals they were no longer in their own hands.
ENG vs NZ T20 WORLD CUP 2026: MAIN | SCORECARD
“Pretty nervous. But yeah, I guess it’s out of our control. There’s not much we can do. It’s just kind of wait and see and we’ll either get on a plane to India or New Zealand,” Santner said.
“Yes, I think we were in control. If we had won tonight, it would have made things a lot easier. But yes, we will probably have some nervous watching tomorrow to see what happens,” he added.
With England now out, attention now shifts to Pakistan’s clash with Sri Lanka in Pallekele, which will decide whether New Zealand stay alive or are eliminated.
HOW NEW ZEALAND MISSED THEIR CHANCE
New Zealand had their destiny in their own hands heading into the final Super 8 match but were unable to overcome England in a high-pressure encounter.
England restricted the Kiwis to 159, with Will Jacks playing a key all-rounder, taking 2 for 23 and later leading the chase with an unbeaten 32 off 18 balls.
The loss proved costly. A win would guarantee New Zealand a place in the semi-finals, but instead they now depend on Pakistan going down in their final match.
Santner admitted that the team did a few things during the tournament but failed at key moments.
“It’s always those little moments at the end or during an inning where you can be a little bit sharper, whether it’s execution or fielding,” he said.
PAKISTAN OR NEW ZEALAND: WHO WILL PLAY IN THE SEMIS?
Pakistan’s path is open but challenging.
They need to beat Sri Lanka convincingly to overtake New Zealand on a clean sheet. A 65-run win or a chase completed in 13 overs could be enough to swing the equation in their favour.
With no rain reported in Pallekele and Sri Lanka after three consecutive defeats, Pakistan have a real chance to stay in contention.
In New Zealand it’s now about watching and waiting. The other semi-finalist from Group 2 will not be decided by their own performance, but by the result of Pakistan’s final move.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
28 Feb 2026 08:35 IST
