Both teams are strong contenders in the Super 8 stage, and this clash could significantly impact the semi-final race in Group 2.
Match Details
Match: England vs Pakistan – 45th Match, Super 8 Group 2
Date: 24 February 2026
Venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele
Time: 7:00 PM Local / 7:00 PM IST
Live Telecast: Star Sports Network
Live Streaming: JioHotstar
Probable Playing XI
England Probable XI:
Harry Brook (c), Phil Salt (wk), Jos Buttler, Will Jacks, Jacob Bethell, Sam Curran, Tom Banton, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton
Pakistan Probable XI:
Salman Ali Agha (c), Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Usman Khan (wk), Babar Azam, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed
Pitch Report
The Pallekele surface generally offers good bounce and carry for pacers early in the innings. Under lights, seamers can extract movement with the new ball. As the match progresses, the pitch tends to slow down slightly, bringing spinners into the contest during the middle overs.
A total around 165–175 is expected to be competitive at this venue, especially in pressure games.
Weather Report
Pallekele is expected to experience warm and humid evening conditions for the match. Temperatures during match hours (around 7 PM local time) should hover near 28–30°C, gradually cooling later in the night.
There is a chance of afternoon thunderstorms, but conditions are likely to stabilize by evening. Slight cloud cover could assist seam bowlers early under lights, while humidity may bring dew into play in the second innings.
Overall, a full match is expected, though teams winning the toss might prefer chasing if dew becomes significant later on.
Key Players to Watch
England: Phil Salt, Harry Brook, Adil Rashid
Pakistan: Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam, Shadab Khan
Match Prediction
England’s aggressive batting depth and multi-dimensional bowling attack provide them with a slight advantage. However, Pakistan’s pace trio can turn the game quickly with early breakthroughs.
Expect a tightly contested Super 8 thriller, where handling pressure in the middle overs could decide the outcome.