England vs Pakistan Prediction & Match Preview – T20 World Cup 45th Match
Match summary
England face Pakistan at Pallekele in the 2026 T20 World Cup Super 8s. Read our preview with likely XIs, pitch, weather and expected scores.
Match details
| Match | England vs Pakistan, 45th Match |
|---|---|
| Series | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 |
| Date | 24 Feb 2026 |
| Start time | 1:30 pm GMT / 7:00 pm local |
| Venue | Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | England |
| Toss pick | Pakistan |
Matches in this series
Match preview
England and Pakistan face off in the 45th match of the 2026 T20 World Cup at Pallekele, where conditions under lights should be warm with a low chance of rain. The surface usually carries well, so the powerplay could be significant.
Our preview expects England’s aggressive openers and Pakistan’s dynamic batters to take full advantage of the fielding restrictions and set up a platform of 40 to 50 runs. England’s likely line-up features Harry Brook, Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks, with Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson and Adil Rashid in the attack. Pakistan could field Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman, with Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz and Usman Tariq to bowl.
Control in overs 7 to 15 is likely to be decisive. Spinners may slow the scoring, but quality pace on the slower side of the pitch can also apply pressure. In the closing overs expect a flurry of boundaries if batters can read the slower balls and yorkers, and teams that reach 180 usually need six or more overs of strong hitting at the end.
Pallekele generally provides a good batting surface with consistent bounce and value for shots, particularly early. New-ball bowlers can find some movement and carry, but scoring gets easier once batters are in. Spinners come into play in the middle overs, where accuracy and variations pay off. Under lights dew can make the ball harder to hold, favouring chasing teams.
At 7:00 pm on 24 February Pallekele should be warm and slightly humid, around the low 30s °C early in the evening, with partly cloudy skies and light winds. The chance of rain around match time looks low.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 170–185 | – |
| Second innings | 155–175 | – |
England
England’s strong top order and bowling variety make them narrow favourites, though Pakistan’s dynamic batters can exploit the powerplay too.
Toss pick: Pakistan
FAQ
What time is England vs Pakistan?
The match starts at 7:00 pm local time (1:30 pm GMT) on 24 February 2026 at Pallekele.
What powerplay score do we expect?
Both teams have attacking top orders, so a powerplay of 40 to 50 is realistic.
What is a par chase?
Around 170 is a defendable target here, as pressure builds in the middle overs when boundaries dry up.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
England
- Phil Salt
- Jos Buttlerwk
- Jacob Bethell
- Harry Brookc
- Tom Banton
- Will Jacks
- Sam Curran
- Jamie Overton
- Liam Dawson
- Jofra Archer
- Adil Rashid
Pakistan
- Sahibzada Farhan
- Saim Ayub
- Salman Aghac
- Babar Azam
- Fakhar Zaman
- Usman Khanwk
- Shadab Khan
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Faheem Ashraf
- Salman Mirza
- Usman Tariq