Pakistan national cricket team will take on Sri Lanka national cricket team in a crucial Super 8 Group 2 match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Saturday, February 28, 2026. The match will begin at 7 p.m. IST and could decide Pakistan’s fate in the tournament. While Sri Lanka have already been knocked out of the semi-final race, Pakistan still have a slim chance of qualification and need a big win to stay alive.
Weather forecast
The weather forecast has brought relief for fans as no rain expected during the match. The temperature is likely to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 20 degrees Celsius, with humidity around 70 per cent. Conditions point to a full game without interruptions.
Pitch Report
The pitch at Pallekele is expected to favour batters, with good pace and carry. Evening dew could make bowling difficult in the second innings, and teams may prefer to chase. The average first-innings score at the venue in this tournament has been around 160, with chasing sides enjoying a success rate of nearly 59 per cent.
Sri Lanka head into the match after a 61-run defeat against New Zealand. Chasing 169, they were bowled out for 107. Pathum Nissanka showed some fight at the top, while Dunith Wellalage and Dushan Hemantha had earlier bowled disciplined spells before New Zealand pulled away in the final overs.
Pakistan, meanwhile, suffered a narrow loss to England in their previous outing. Sahibzada Farhan scored 63 off 45 balls to anchor the innings, and Shaheen Shah Afridi provided early breakthroughs with the ball, but the effort was not enough to secure victory.
Historically, the rivalry between the two sides has been closely contested. Pakistan hold a slight 15-14 edge over Sri Lanka in 29 T20 internationals.
Probable Playing XIs
Sri Lanka Playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka, Janith Liyanage, Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka.
Pakistan Playing XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Tariq, Salman Mirza.
Squads:
Sri Lanka Squad: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Charith Asalanka, Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka(c), Dushan Hemantha, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Kusal Perera, Pramod Madushan, Janith Liyanage, Kamil Mishara
Pakistan Squad: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha(c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan(w), Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq, Khawaja Nafay, Naseem Shah, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashra
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: Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, 50th Match, Super 8 Group 2 (Y3 v Y4), ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026
Date: Saturday, February 28, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM Local Time | 1:30 PM GMT
Venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
