New Zealand reaches T20 World Cup semifinals after Pakistan beats Sri Lanka by only 5 runs

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PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka (AP) — New Zealand backed into the Twenty20 World Cup semifinals when Pakistan could only narrowly beat Sri Lanka in a gripping match on Saturday.

Pakistan had to restrict Sri Lanka's chase to 147 to advance from the Super Eights at New Zealand's expense.

It looked achievable when Pakistan reduced Sri Lanka to 101-5 in the 12th over. But its hopes were foiled when Pavan Rathnayake and captain Dasun Shanaka led Sri Lanka to 148 in the 16th over.

But then Pakistan found itself in danger of failing to defend its highest ever T20 World Cup total, 212.

Shanaka began the last over against Shaheen Shah Afridi by slamming 4-6-6-6. Sri Lanka could pull off a heist with six runs needed off the last two balls.

But Shanaka missed trying to scoop the fifth ball and left the sixth, a yorker, thinking it was wide. It was not.

Pakistan won by five runs and bowed out of the tournament on net run rate, -0.123 to New Zealand's 1.390.

Sri Lanka was already out of semifinals contention but finished its fourth straight defeat to applause from its home crowd after going down swinging.

England, New Zealand and South Africa have nailed semifinal spots. Defending champion India — the only Asian team left — and the West Indies meet for the last spot on Sunday in Kolkata. With Pakistan knocked out, tournament co-host India will host both semifinals next week and the final on March 8.

Pakistan was made to bat first and openers Sahibzada Farhan and Fakhar Zaman combined for 176 runs, the highest ever partnership in men's T20 World Cup history. They eclipsed the 175 by New Zealanders Tim Seifert and Finn Allen on Feb. 10.

Farhan's blistering 100 off 60 balls also blew away Virat Kohli’s single tournament runs record of 319 in 2014. Farhan passed Kohli when he reached 40. He has 383 after two centuries and two half-centuries.

Zaman was promoted to opener for the first time in the tournament and the left-hander slammed 84 off 42 balls as Pakistan posted 212-8.

The Sri Lanka bowlers erred in their lengths and Farhan and Zaman punished loose deliveries for boundaries. Sri Lanka could have broken their stand in the 11th over but didn’t go for a television referral when replays suggested Zaman edged behind.

Their stand of 176 came in 15.5 overs. Sri Lanka fought back with eight wickets in the final 26 balls for 36 runs.

Zaman played onto his stumps to fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera in the 16th over. Farhan fell in the final over soon after his century with five sixes and nine fours.

Fast bowler Dilshan Madushanka grabbed 3-33 and Shanaka took 2-42.

Sri Lanka's top order was rattled by Abrar Ahmed (3-23), one of the three changes by Pakistan, but with the ball getting wet because of dew, it became difficult for the bowlers to hit the right lengths.

Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq struggled with his grip and returned 0-43, ending his streak of consecutive T20 innings with a wicket at 26, two shy of the record.

Rathnayake anchored Sri Lanka with 58 off 37 and Shanaka almost achieved the miracle at the death. Shanaka smashed eight sixes and two fours in his unbeaten 76 off 31 balls.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket