The Pakistan team is also participating in the T20 World Cup 2026, which is being jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Initially, due to Bangladesh being replaced by Scotland, the Pakistan Cricket Board had threatened to boycott the tournament, but nothing of that sort happened, and they agreed to play. In this tournament, Pakistan is playing under the captaincy of Salman Ali Agha and is still in the race for the semi-finals. However, reports indicate that Salman might be removed from the captaincy after the tournament.

Reports suggest that Salman Ali Agha will lose his captaincy now, regardless of Pakistan's performance in the 2026 T20 World Cup. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi is reportedly unhappy with Salman's captaincy in the tournament. Naqvi is unsatisfied with the way Pakistan has performed so far in the tournament and has decided to make a change in the leadership.

See Also: Major decision incoming? Sri Lanka star likely to act after early T20 World Cup 2026 exit

According to a source close to the Pakistan Cricket Board, a decision has been taken to change the leadership of the team in the shortest format after the T20 World Cup. The source said, 

“Naqvi is not happy at all because this time he was assured by the selectors, team management and his close aides in the board that the team was set to do well in the World Cup.”

Big changes may happen in the Pakistan team after T20 World Cup 2026

Pakistan has won the title only once so far, and it was expected that this time the team would perform well by taking advantage of Colombo's slow pitches, but they were seen struggling here as well. Pakistan also faced a heavy defeat against its arch-rival India. During this match, seeing his team's shameful performance, Mohsin Naqvi quietly left the stadium. Now he is in the mood for action and, along with removing Salman Ali Agha from the captaincy, could also drop some big players.

"Salman, Babar Azam, Usman Khan and a few others will probably see curtains on their T20 international careers after the World Cup," the source further added.

After Pakistan's disappointing campaign in the T20 World Cup 2026, the PCB is taking action, and discussions may take place in meetings with head coach Mike Hesson as well as the selection committee for the future. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shadab Khan are being considered for the position of Pakistan's new T20 captain. Now it remains to be seen what decision the PCB makes after the tournament concludes.

The opening Super 8 clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 between Pakistan and New Zealand at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo got abandoned due to rain. The prediction was of the rain making its presence felt for the entire evening, and the exact picture took place during the game as the umpire finally made the call after nearly three hours from the beginning of the fixture.

Pakistan came into the Super 8 stage of the tournament with three wins in four games. Their victories came against the Netherlands, the United States of America (USA), and Namibia, besides losing to the arch-rivals India at the RPS in Colombo. Post this abandoned clash against the Kiwis, they are scheduled to meet England and Sri Lanka.

See Also: Watch: Ishan Kishan speaks Bhojpuri during interaction with fans ahead of IND vs SA T20 World Cup Super 8 clash

The Salman Ali Agha-led side will now need to win their next two clashes against England and hope that the Harry Brook-led side will beat the co-hosts Sri Lanka at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. They will also want the New Zealand side to beat Sri Lanka, which will be a massive bonus for the Pakistan side.

Can Pakistan qualify for T20 World Cup 2026 semifinals?

If New Zealand got the better of England in the penultimate Super 8 clash of the competition, then the game between Pakistan and Sri Lanka will not matter most. In that case, the Blackcaps finish on five points, and Pakistan will have three points, and both will qualify for the semis.

🚨 Pakistan’s Semi-Final Path (If PAK vs NZ is Washed Out)

- Here’s how it can still work for Pakistan.

• ENG beat SL
• PAK beat ENG
• NZ beat SL
• NZ beat ENG
• PAK vs SL - result doesn’t matter

- NZ finish on 5 points, Pakistan on 3 points both qualify for the semis. pic.twitter.com/15gphXB9KQ

— Rayham (@RayhamUnplugged) February 21, 2026

“Fakhar is playing, and Nafay is not playing. We have one pacer, Faheem Ashraf - he is a good all-rounder. So we have 2 pacers and a lot of spin options. They are a quality side, we know that. We have to play our A game, and that is what we look forward to today.” Agha expressed at the toss presentation against the Blackcaps which hints their playing XI for the next game. 

Pakistan’s next match of the Super 8 stage in the tournament will be against England on February 24 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy. If that gam gets washed out, then there will be concerns over their qualification in the semifinals.

Pakistan are set to face Namibia in Match 35 of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on Wednesday, February 18. Led by Salman Ali Agha, Pakistan opened their campaign with successive victories over the Netherlands and the USA before stumbling to a crushing 61-run defeat against India in their previous outing. That setback has left them in a must-win situation, as only a victory in this fixture will guarantee their passage into the Super Eight stage and keep their qualification hopes firmly in their own hands.

Namibia, meanwhile, approach the contest with pride rather than pressure, having endured three defeats in as many matches so far. Skipper Gerhard Erasmus will be eager for his side to deliver a complete performance after showing flashes of promise without sustaining momentum collectively. An upset victory over Pakistan would not only halt their losing run but also allow the USA to sneak into the next round, adding extra intrigue to the clash. Finishing on a strong note would provide confidence and belief for Namibia heading into future international assignments ahead.

See Also: Milestones, Eliminations, and Comebacks: A Dramatic Day Unfolds at T20 World Cup 2026

T20 World Cup 2026, Match 35, PAK vs NAM: Live Streaming Details

T20 World Cup 2026, Match 35, PAK vs NAM: Probable Playing XI

Pakistan (PAK):

Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha (C), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (WK), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq

Namibia (NAM):

Louren Steenkamp, Jan Frylinck, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus (C), JJ Smit, Zane Green (WK), Ruben Trumpelmann, Dylan Leicher, Willem Myburgh, Bernard Scholtz, Max Heingo

The Indian cricket team secured a dominant 61-run victory over Pakistan in the 27th Match of Group A at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Batting first, India put a respectable total of 175 runs on the scoreboard, which meant the team achieved a very good run rate of 8.75 runs per over. Ishan Kishan was in excellent form making 77 runs (off only 40 balls), hitting 10 fours and 3 sixes. India made good use of the power play scoring a total of 52 runs from the first six overs. Other contributors to India's score were Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh.

Pakistan started their run chase strongly by scoring a total of 57 runs during the first six overs of the innings and having Usman Khan make an impressive 44 (off 34 balls) batting well. However, the fall of early wickets from key batters, including Babar Azam going for just a few runs, changed the match from being a fairly even contest to one that appeared to favour India. At the end of the innings, Shaheen Afridi batted well (not-out on 23) and Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton played a cameo role but the loss of regular wickets throughout the innings prevented the formation of partnerships between the batters. India’s bowlers bowled with great discipline and control and restricted Pakistan’s scoring opportunities which resulted in Pakistan needing a lot of runs per over and putting pressure on their batting unit to get the required runs before the end of their batting innings.

India’s bowlers delivered a commanding performance to seal the victory. Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah claimed two wickets each, while Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy also struck twice. Kuldeep Yadav and Tilak Varma contributed with crucial breakthroughs, preventing Pakistan from building momentum. The 61-run win highlighted India’s depth, balance, and ability to perform under pressure. Combined with Kishan’s explosive innings and consistent middle-order contributions, the victory reinforced India’s strong position in Group A, boosting confidence for the remaining matches of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

See Also: Watch: Fall of wickets from India's 61-run win vs Pakistan in T20 World Cup 2026

T20 World Cup 2026: Updated Points Table after IND vs PAK Match 27

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group D

T20 World Cup 2026: Top Performances

Most Runs

Most Wickets

The Indian cricket team secured a commanding 61-run victory over Pakistan in the 27th Match of Group A at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. With a decent batting performance, India loss the toss and were asked to bat first. They scored 175 runs in their innings which is an impressive score of 8.75 runs per over. The Indian team, with some aggressive batting and sensible batting partnerships, placed a lot of pressure on the Pakistani bowling side from the very first over.

India had a good start during the first powerplay with a score of 52 runs in the first 6 overs, this allowed the middle and lower order to accelerate. Ishan Kishan was the stand-out performer for India with a fantastic innings of 77 runs off 40 balls, hitting 10 fours and 3 sixes with a strike rate of 192.50. Tilak Varma scored 25 runs from 24 balls and Suryakumar Yadav scored a valuable 32 runs from 29 balls. Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh provided some late innings hitting, scoring 27 runs and 11 runs respectively, allowing India to finish their innings strongly. Despite losing wickets regularly throughout the innings, the partnerships formed throughout by the Indian players helped India to get to a total that was too high for Pakistan to chase down.

Pakistan started positively, scoring 57 runs off the first 6 overs in their innings, led by Usman Khan's fluent 44 runs from 34 balls. The top order of Babar Azam struggled to get runs off the disciplined bowling performances from the Indian bowlers and lost wickets at crucial stages of the match. Shaheen Afridi remained unbeaten on 23 runs with the required run rate increasing throughout the innings, leading to gaps in the Pakistan middle-order and lower-order batting lineups. 

See Also: Watch: Fall of wickets from India's 61-run win vs Pakistan in T20 World Cup 2026

India’s bowlers dominate to secure victory

India’s bowling attack delivered an exceptional performance, dismantling Pakistan for 114 in 18 overs. Hardik Pandya led with figures of 3 overs, 16 runs, and 2 wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah supported with 2 wickets for 17 runs. Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy claimed two wickets each, with Kuldeep Yadav and Tilak Varma chipping in at crucial moments. Early breakthroughs put Pakistan on the back foot, and continuous pressure in the middle overs prevented any significant recovery, ultimately ensuring a comprehensive win for India.

The 61-run victory highlighted India’s balance and dominance across both disciplines. Ishan Kishan’s explosive innings, coupled with contributions from the middle and lower order, laid a solid platform. Pakistan’s regular loss of wickets under pressure prevented a chase of substance. The win not only strengthened India’s position in Group A but also showcased the team’s depth, adaptability, and ability to execute plans under pressure, setting a confident tone for their upcoming fixtures in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

Top Performances

Ishan Kishan was the standout performer with a scintillating 77 off 40 balls, smashing 10 fours and 3 sixes at a strike rate of 192.50. Suryakumar Yadav contributed 32 off 29 deliveries, while Shivam Dube’s 27 off 17 balls and Rinku Singh’s 11* provided late acceleration. On the bowling front, Hardik Pandya took 2 wickets for 16 runs, Jasprit Bumrah also bagged 2 wickets for 17, while Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy struck twice each, ensuring Pakistan never recovered from early setbacks.

Key Moments

India capitalized on the powerplay, reaching 52 runs in six overs, and built steady partnerships that kept the scoreboard ticking. Early breakthroughs from Pandya and Bumrah broke Pakistan’s top order, putting them on the back foot. Despite Usman Khan’s 44, regular wickets at crucial stages prevented any significant chase. Shadley van Schalkwyk and the Indian bowlers applied relentless pressure in the death overs, ultimately restricting Pakistan to 114 and sealing a comprehensive 61-run victory.

Brief Score

India: 175/7 (20 overs)
Pakistan: 114/10 (18 overs)
Result: India won by 61 runs – ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Group A

When India posted a massive score of 175 runs in the first innings, having put into bat first, against Pakistan during the T20 World Cup 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, the opponents needed to go with a smart batting approach, but they failed to stick to that part and kept losing wickets with some funny and funky shots around the park.

Their opener, Sahibzada Farhan, after three dot balls in the opening over, went for a pull shot against Hardik Pandya, and got the ball ballooned in the air before being caught inside the 30-yard circle. Their other opener, Saim Ayub, was trapped leg before the wicket against Jasprit Bumrah with a firing yorker before their captain, Salman Ali Agha, couldn’t judge the short ball.

See Also: Watch: Usman Tariq’s celebration to Suryakumar Yadav in IND vs PAK T20 WC 2026 goes viral

Meanwhile, Babar Azam went for a slog against the arm delivery of Axar Patel and got bowled. The only hope for them in the chase was Usman Khan, who attempted to use the feet for a massive shot and got stumped to a brilliant work by Ishan Kishan behind the stumps.

All fall of wickets in IND vs PAK T20 WC 2026 

Kuldeep Yadav, coming into the eleven for the clash in place of Arshdeep Singh, got the wicket of Mohammad Nawaz, who got under pressure and looked to play the big shot to get caught at the boundary rope, as the exact issue happened with Shadab Khan for 14 runs in 15 balls.

Watch the video here: 

@StarSportsIndia pic.twitter.com/Ie4gyyMnNp

— Cricket Everywhere✍🏻 (@Subhamk79241601) February 15, 2026

Faheem Ashraf’s wicket eliminated the chance of a win for the Pakistan side as he went on the back foot and looked to nail Varun Chakravarthy, only to find the fielder. The Tamil Nadu spinner also trapped Abrar Ahmed on the very first ball of the innings, while Hardik Pandya got the last wicket of Usman Tariq and completed their massive win by 61 runs.

India posted 175 runs in the first innings as Ishan Kishan made a massive difference in the game, as the southpaw drilled 77 runs in 40 balls with the help of 10 boundaries and three sixes at a strike rate of 192.50.

Brief Scores: India 175/7 (Ishan Kishan 77, Suryakumar Kumar 32, Saim Ayub 3/25) beat Pakistan 114 (Usman Khan 44, Hardik Pandya 2/16) by 61 runs.

The 27th match of the T20 World Cup 2026 is being played between India and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. In this match, Pakistan won the toss and invited India to bat first. There was suspense over whether Team India's opener Abhishek Sharma would play before the match, but he made a comeback to the team. However, Abhishek could not make any significant impact and was dismissed on duck by Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha.

Salman Ali Agha had said during a press conference on the eve of the match between India and Pakistan that he wants Abhishek to get well and play against Pakistan, because his team wants to face India's best playing XI. It was expected that Abhishek would make a comeback and perform brilliantly against Pakistan, but his innings ended on the fourth ball, and he failed to score for the second consecutive time.

See Also: Watch: No handshake between Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Agha in IND vs PAK T20 WC 2026

After winning the toss, the Pakistan captain, who decided to bowl first, himself took the responsibility of bowling the first over of India's innings and got the big wicket of Abhishek Sharma. On the third ball of the over, when Abhishek came on strike, Salman did not give him a chance to open his arms and bowled three consecutive dot balls. After that, Abhishek tried to play a big shot but failed and gave an easy catch to the mid-on fielder. In this way, Salman claimed a big wicket for his team and celebrated in a grand style.

Abhishek Sharma joins the unwanted list after making two consecutive ducks in T20 World Cup 2026

Left-handed batter Abhishek Sharma has performed quite well over the past year, and the bowlers have struggled against him. However, in the T20 World Cup 2026, Abhishek has so far been completely disappointing. He was caught out on the very first ball against the UAE and got out for a duck. After that, he was unavailable against Namibia due to illness. Big expectations were placed on him against Pakistan, but here too, he got out for a duck.

In this way, Abhishek Sharma has joined an unwanted list of batters who got out for a duck in their first two matches of the T20 World Cup. In this regard, Abhishek has joined Bangladesh's Imrul Kayes and India's Ashish Nehra.

Dismissed for duck in the first two games in T20 World Cups (Full Member Teams)
Ashish Nehra
Imrul Kayes
Abhishek Sharma

Before the start of the game between India and Pakistan in the 2026 season of the T20 World Cup at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, the talk of the town was whether India’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, would shake hands with his opposite number, Salman Ali Agha, at the toss. Sky kept the suspense at the pre-match press conference regarding this decision.

The two captains lined up for the massive toss as the Pakistan captain won the toss and decided to field first on what he called a sticky surface, where they looked to take the early advantage with the moisture in. But the most important part of the toss was that, post his two-minute interview, Agha returned to his dugout after crossing Suryakumar Yadav, who did not offer any handshake.

See Also: Know changes in India's playing XI for IND vs PAK T20 World Cup 2026 clash

There are several controversies on this particular fixture, a fortnight ago, with the Pakistan government deciding to boycott this contest against India, having given the green signal to the cricket board to participate in the entire World Cup, apart from that encounter.

Suryakumar Yadav denies handshake with Salman Ali Agha in T20 WC 2026

Suryakumar revealed that India had made two changes in their playing 11 with Abhishek Sharma returning from the stomach infection that kept him out of the 11 for the last game against Namibia in Delhi, as Sanju Samson made way out of the side for this clash, while Kuldeep Yadav replaced the left-arm pacer, Arshdeep Singh.

Watch the video here: 

@StarSportsIndia pic.twitter.com/HHsj8I7daW

— Cricket Everywhere✍🏻 (@Subhamk79241601) February 15, 2026

No handshake at the toss between India’s Captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan’s Captain Salman Ali Agha. 🇵🇰🇮🇳 ❌ #INDvPAK #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/MKFgEMcPTN

— Ahtasham Riaz (@ahtashamriaz22) February 15, 2026

“We were looking to bat first. We've seen the results here, and we've batted in the last two games and won both games defending, so we don't want to change anything. These games are always very high stakes, but at the same time, you've got to know what you want to do. That's more important. Stay in the present, back your skills.” Sky said at the toss.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has retained its playing 11 that won against the United States of America, as the eyes are on the most talked-about spinner Usman Tariq, whose action will be in focus during the first innings.

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has stirred debate by saying he would pray for rain to wash out the high-profile India-Pakistan encounter in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 on February 15 in Colombo. With both teams unbeaten so far, the clash has generated massive anticipation. Basit’s remarks reflect the high stakes surrounding the fixture, as a washout would see both sides share points in a tightly contested Group A standings battle.

India have navigated challenging moments despite winning both matches. The USA rattled them at the Wankhede Stadium, reducing them to 46/4 before Suryakumar Yadav’s scintillating 84 off 49 balls rescued the innings in a 29-run win. Against Namibia in Delhi, India posted 209 but endured two mini-collapses before sealing a 93-run victory. Pakistan, meanwhile, survived a dramatic wobble against the Netherlands, slipping from 98/2 to 114/7 in a chase of 148, before Faheem Ashraf’s explosive cameo guided them home.

In their second match, Pakistan were calmer than before and won by 32 runs over USA and remain undefeated in the tournament. Before the match between Pakistan and India the two teams were not certain about playing against each other after Pakistan said they would not play due to solidarity with Bangladesh who had been removed from the tournament due to security issues. However, after having several discussions involving the ICC and the boards involved, the issue was resolved. As anticipation grows in Colombo, Basit reaffirmed that he prefers both arch rivals will split the points and rain win the match.

“Meri toh dua hai Allah Ta’ala baarish kar de (My prayer is that Allah Ta’ala makes it rain.),” Ali said on A Sports.

See Also: Watch: 'Eat food and...'- Suryakumar Yadav reflects on handshake controversy ahead of IND vs PAK T20 WC 2026

Pakistan just about survived: Basit Ali 

AccuWeather predicts cloudy conditions in Colombo on Sunday, with a few showers expected and a 93% probability of rainfall. Ali remarked that Pakistan had just about survived and added that when Shaheen Shah Afridi was called in to bat, it reflected how poorly Pakistan’s batting had performed in that game. He criticized the middle order for bad batsmanship, especially Babar Azam, Mohammad Nawaz, and Shadab Khan.

The former Pakistan batter also pointed out that they were experienced players who had featured in leagues around the world, including the Pakistan Super League, but said that instead of becoming heroes for Pakistan, they had ended up being “zeroes.” The prolofoc batter also further questioned who the real match-winner in the Pakistan team was and said it was disappointing that fans celebrated a wicket falling only because it meant Babar Azam would come out to bat, only for him to depart cheaply. He added that the real star for Pakistan that day had been Faheem Ashraf, who batted at No. 8, and sarcastically asked whether the rest of the batters had been “selling peanuts” instead of performing.

“Pakistan bach gaya bhai! (Pakistan just about survived). When Shaheen Shah Afridi is called in to bat, you can imagine what Pakistan’s batting did in that game. Bad batsmanship by the middle order, especially Babar Azam, Nawaz and Shadab Khan. These are experienced players. They have played not just in leagues across the world, but also in the Pakistan Super League. Today, they did not become heroes for Pakistan; they ended up being zeroes. Who is a match-changer in the Pakistan team? What are you going to say to a country’s fans who get happy when a wicket falls just because it means that Babar Azam will come to bat? But then Babar comes and goes. Today’s star for Pakistan was Faheem Ashraf, who came in at No 8. Baaki batsman chanafali bech rahe the kya? (Were the rest of the batters selling peanuts?), " Ali had said.

India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, had a smile on his face in the pre-match press conference when he was asked to reflect on the handshake controversy ahead of the meeting between the two arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, during the T20 World Cup 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Suryakumar Yadav reckoned that he would keep the suspense for another 24 hours. He also put some clarity on his comment by calling it a massive game. Not due to its history, but all the things that have taken place in the last few weeks and the fact that the winner will qualify for the Super 8 stage, the game has its own weight.

See Also: Watch: Suryakumar Yadav turns Usman Tariq? India brings unique practice ahead of IND vs PAK T20 WC 2026

“Wait for 24 hours, no. Why are you [speculating] now? We have come here to play cricket, and we'll play good cricket. We will take the call [on handshake] later. Dine well, sleep.” Suryakumar Yadav expressed in the pre-match press conference.

Suryakumar Yadav keeps suspense on handshake before IND vs PAK T20 WC 2026

India has a dominating record against Pakistan both at the World Cup and in the past few editions of the Asia Cup 2025, beating them three times, including the final. But Sky felt it would be a fresh start.

Watch the video here: 

When Suryakumar Yadav was asked about the handshake in the press conference, he replied in a funny way.

He said, "Wait for 24 hours, eat your food, take some rest, and then you’ll know." Hearing this, it feels like Suryakumar Yadav and Team India are not in the mood to shake… pic.twitter.com/uAscLeiGdF

— 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵ (@rushiii_12) February 14, 2026

"I will break the suspense tomorrow. I just said wait for 24 hours, we will play a good game, and then after the game. What is important tomorrow? The game is important. We will see that at the toss. When you play an India-Pakistan game, it is more about the occasion. It is a platform. You can say what you want, like it's just another game. But you know which game you are going to play. And we don't play them often regularly.” Sky added.

“You have to start from zero. What you did in the past, historically, you can't carry that to the ground because then sometimes it can lead to complacency. You might go ahead of the game. If you want to be in control and want to keep a relaxed mind, then you have to always have a fresh start.” The Indian captain noted.