England Cricket Team vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Match: England and Pakistan will meet in the 45th match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. The Group 2 Super Eight fixture is scheduled for 7 p.m. IST.
England enter the match on a high after defeating Sri Lanka by 51 runs in their Super Eight opener. Phil Salt top-scored with 62, while Will Jacks contributed 21 runs and took three wickets. Jofra Archer and Adil Rashid applied disciplined pressure with the ball to defend a total of 146. England now top the group with two points and can move closer to the semifinals with another win.
Pakistan’s previous match against New Zealand was abandoned due to persistent rain, putting their semifinal hopes in a precarious position. Another washout would further dent Pakistan’s chances of qualifying for the semifinals. If they lose to England, Pakistan would then need to defeat Sri Lanka in their final Super Eight match and rely on other results to keep their qualification hopes alive. For Pakistan, the game is effectively a must-win encounter.
Weather Forecast
According to AccuWeather forecasts, there is a 25% chance of rain during the day in Kandy, with cloud cover around 48%. Conditions are expected to improve significantly by evening, when the probability of rain drops to 2% and cloud cover reduces to about 12%. The projections suggest minimal disruption once play begins.
Pitch Report
The Pallekele surface traditionally offers a balanced contest between bat and ball. The pitch provides good pace and bounce early on, allowing batters to play their shots freely during the power play. In the last five T20 matches at the venue, totals have ranged from 95 to 225, with an average score of 157. Pace bowlers have claimed approximately 55% of the wickets, while spinners account for 45%.
Squads:
Pakistan Squad: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha(c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan(w), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Naseem Shah, Khawaja Nafay
England Squad: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler(w), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook(c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Ben Duckett, Luke Wood, Josh Tongue, Rehan Ahmed
Probable Playing XIs
England: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid.
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq
Live streaming and broadcast details
Fans in India can watch the match live on the Star Sports Network. Streaming will be available on the JioHotstar app and website with a subscription.
Match Details
Match: ENG vs PAK
Fixture: 45th Match, Super 8 Group 2 (Y1 v Y3)
Series: ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026
Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM Local | 1:30 PM GMT
Venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
Broadcast (India): JioStar Network channels
Live streaming: JioHotstar app and website