Pakistan’s journey in the 2024 T20 World Cup ended in disappointment following a series of setbacks. The campaign began with a heartbreaking Super Over loss to USA, compounded by a narrow defeat to arch-rivals India, which left Pakistan reliant on outcomes from other matches to progress.
Their hopes were dashed when the USA vs Ireland match was rained out, sealing Pakistan’s elimination from the tournament. This failure marks a significant setback for Pakistan cricket, especially considering their substantial investment in T20 cricket.
Looking ahead to the 2026 T20 World Cup, qualification dynamics are crucial. The top eight teams advancing to the Super Eight stage in 2024 automatically qualify for the next tournament. Currently, Australia, South Africa, India, West Indies, Afghanistan, USA, and Sri Lanka (as co-hosts) have secured their places. With Sri Lanka’s automatic qualification, nine spots are already filled.
Pakistan currently stands in a relatively secure position, ranked seventh in the ICC T20 rankings. New Zealand, also out of the Super Eight, ranks just above them. These rankings suggest that Pakistan and New Zealand are likely to take two of the three remaining automatic qualification spots.
The only scenario that poses a risk to Pakistan’s direct qualification would be if England fails to reach the Super Eight, Bangladesh improves their ranking significantly, and Pakistan loses to Ireland in their final group match. This unlikely combination of events could force Pakistan into the qualifying rounds.
However, if England qualifies for the Super Eight and Pakistan defeats Ireland in their upcoming match, Pakistan’s qualification for the 2026 T20 World Cup should be secure without the need for qualifiers.
The situation hinges on England’s performance, which will be decided shortly and could provide clarity on Pakistan’s path to the next T20 World Cup.