Sahibzada Farhan’s 63 off 43 helps Pakistan reach 164-9 after another batting collapse in Pallekele
England’s Phil Salt (2L) walks back after getting out as Pakistan’s players celebrate during the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup Super Eights match between England and Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on February 24, 2026. Phot: AFP
Shaheen Shah Afridi’s explosive three-wicket spell put Pakistan firmly in the driver’s seat in their must-win T20 World Cup Super Eight clash against England, who were chasing a 165-run target at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
England’s chase got off to the worst possible start as in-form Phil Salt fell on the very first ball. Attempting to play an inswinger, Salt edged the ball to the wicketkeeper Usman Khan, who held on without error.
Afridi struck again in the second over, dismissing former England captain Jos Buttler. Usman once more held a tidy catch, reducing the visitors to 17-2.
Jacob Bethell briefly offered hope after surviving a dropped catch off Saim Ayub at short fine leg. However, he failed to capitalize as Afridi came back to remove the southpaw, with Sahibzada Farhan taking a stunning catch at deep square leg.
After the powerplay, England captain Harry Brook took charge, smashing Mohammad Nawaz for 17 runs as the visitors reached their half-century in the seventh over.
Amid the flow of runs, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha turned to mystery spinner Usman Tariq, and the move paid off immediately. Tariq removed Tom Banton with the very first ball, handing England their fourth setback.
At the end of the ninth over, England were 72-4, needing 93 runs off 66 balls to qualify for the semi-finals.
Earlier, Farhan’s half-century helped Pakistan post 164-9 after their batting crumbled once again.
Having won the toss, Pakistan opted to bat first, but the decision failed to yield the desired start. Opener Saim Ayub continued his lean patch with the bat, departing for just seven runs off as many deliveries, leaving the Green Shirts under early pressure.
The situation worsened in the following over when captain Salman Ali Agha was dismissed for a solitary run by England spinner Liam Dawson. At 27-2, Pakistan found themselves struggling to gain momentum.
In a bid to stabilise the innings, Babar Azam joined Sahibzada Farhan at the crease. The pair stitched together a 46-run partnership but found scoring difficult against England’s disciplined spin attack.
Babar, despite striking a few boundaries, never appeared fully settled at the crease. His resistance was eventually broken when Jamie Overton rattled his stumps, further compounding Pakistan’s woes.
Amid the setbacks, Farhan stood firm. The tournament’s highest run-scorer continued to anchor the innings and brought up yet another half-century, attempting to consolidate Pakistan’s position.
The opener struck a fluent 63 off 43 deliveries, smashing seven fours and two sixes, before being trapped leg-before-wicket by Overton at a crucial juncture, as Pakistan attempted to accelerate in the death overs.
As soon as Farhan departed, Pakistan’s middle order began to crumble. Fakhar Zaman, featuring in his first outing of the tournament, showed intent at the crease. However, after dispatching Rashid for a towering six, he perished in an attempt to clear the ropes once again, offering a simple catch at point and leaving Pakistan five down.
England tightened their grip in the 18th over when Dawson struck twice in successive deliveries. Usman Khan’s stay at the crease proved short-lived as he managed just eight runs, while Mohammad Nawaz was adjudged lbw off the very first ball he faced, reducing Pakistan to 147-7.
Shaheen Shah Afridi also failed to make an impact, departing for just two. However, a quickfire 23 off 11 deliveries from Shadab Khan in the closing overs provided late impetus, lifting Pakistan to 164-9 in their allotted 20 overs.
Dawson was the standout bowler, claiming three wickets for just 24 runs, while Overton and Jofra Archer picked up two wickets apiece.
Earlier, after winning the toss, Salman Agha expressed confidence in the surface, saying, “It looks like a good pitch, and we aim to post an above-par total and defend it.” He also confirmed one change in the side, with Faheem making way for Shaheen Afridi.Agha noted the fresh pitch, adding, “Hopefully, it’ll be better for chasing.”
Harry Brook shared his preference for securing the win today rather than facing a must-win match against New Zealand on Friday. “That would be lovely, wouldn’t it? But you never know in T20 cricket, it’s such a fickle game,” he said.
Brook also mentioned that had he won the toss, he would have opted to bat first, but he expects a better surface than the one England played on at Pallekele two days ago, in their low-scoring win against Sri Lanka. “Hopefully, it’s going to be a little bit better,” he said. “We haven’t had our perfect game yet. Hopefully, it’s just around the corner.”
England remain unchanged, with the same playing XI for the fifth consecutive match.
Pakistan’s chances of reaching the semi-finals will be decided today. To secure a spot in the semi-finals, Pakistan must win today’s game against England and follow it up with a victory over Sri Lanka.
Pakistan’s opening Super Eight match against New Zealand was abandoned due to persistent rain at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
That match was called off after more than two-and-a-half hours of continuous rainfall, shortly after Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and elected to bat, resulting in both teams sharing a point.
On the other hand, England is leading the Super Eight group after defeating host nation Sri Lanka in their opening match, securing two points.
Under the tournament’s ‘Fusion Formula’, Pakistan are playing all their T20 World Cup 2026 matches in Sri Lanka. As a result, should Pakistan qualify, the first semi-final will be staged at the R Premadasa Stadium. If they fail to progress, that fixture will instead be hosted at Eden Gardens.
The venue for the final on March 8 will also depend on Pakistan’s progress in the tournament.
According to the latest forecasts, there is no rain predicted around match time at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, easing fears of another washout in the Super Eights stage. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:00pm local time, with temperatures expected to hover around 27°C and a ‘real feel’ of 28°C.
Skies are forecast to remain largely clear, with cloud cover limited to around 14% and visibility extending up to 16 kilometres. Light north-westerly winds of 6km/h, with occasional gusts reaching 13km/h, are expected to offer minimal relief in what will be humid playing conditions.
Humidity levels are projected at 68%, with a dew point of 20°C, suggesting a sticky evening for players and spectators alike. While conditions appear ideal for cricket, weather officials have cautioned that poor air quality may affect residents, particularly those with respiratory issues.
