New Zealand reach semis after Pakistan eliminated from T20 World Cup

Feb 28 : New Zealand reached the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals after Pakistan crashed out despite a five-run victory against already-eliminated Sri Lanka in a Group Two Super Eights match in Pallekele on Saturday.

An inferior net run rate meant Pakistan had to win big against Sri Lanka in order to pip New Zealand and join group leaders England in the last four.

They racked up 212-8 after Sahibzada Farhan (100) and Fakhar Zaman (84) combined in a T20 World Cup record 176-run opening stand.

Pakistan had to restrict their opponents to 147 or less to make the last four, but Sri Lanka finished on 207-6 nearly snatching a victory.

Pavan Rathnayake made 58 and Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka smoked an unbeaten 76 off 31 balls.

Defending champions India will play West Indies in a virtual quarter-final in Kolkata on Sunday with the winners claiming the last semi-final spot.

"It could have been a different story had we won the toss," Pakistan captain Salman Agha said.

"Dew was a factor, and we couldn't execute our plans."

Put in to bat in a do-or-die match at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pakistan could not have asked for a better start.

Farhan led their charge with scintillating power-hitting as he and Zaman denied Sri Lanka a breakthrough until the 16th over.

Sri Lanka's sloppy fielding did not help their cause either.

Dunith Wellalage dropped Farhan on 75, while Janith Liyanage caught the batter on 76 but stepped onto the boundary cushion in the process.

FARHAN BREAKS KOHLI'S RECORD

Farhan, who also bettered Indian Virat Kohli's record of most runs in a T20 World Cup with his tally of 383, needed 59 balls to become the first batter to score two hundreds in the same edition of the tournament.

The partnership came to an end