England vs Pakistan, 45th Match, Super 8s Group 2, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 takes place on February 24, 2026, at 7:00 PM local time (7:30 PM IST) at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
This clash carries massive weight in Super 8s Group 2, where England tops the table after a commanding 51-run win over Sri Lanka, while Pakistan earned a point from a rain-washed opener against New Zealand. A victory here could lock in semi-final spots for the winner, given the tight group with Sri Lanka and New Zealand lurking. Fans are buzzing about this repeat of the 2022 final, with both sides desperate to build momentum on a fresh points slate.
Pallekele’s pitch offers a balanced T20 deck, starting batter-friendly with true bounce for powerplay strokes, but it slows later, favoring spinners who have snared 34 wickets in the last five games versus 26 for pacers. Average first-innings score hovers around 152, so expect a chase-friendly surface if dew kicks in. Weather looks humid at 24-28°C with 77% humidity, low rain risk for a full match, though light showers remain possible in February’s typical Kandy pattern.
PAK vs ENG Match Details
- Match: Pakistan vs England, 44th Match
- Teams: PAK vs ENG
- Date: 24 Feb 2026
- Time: 6:30 PM 1:30 PM GMT / 7:00 PM LOCAL
- Venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
T20 World 2026 Live Streaming Info
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 kicks off on February 7, 2026, and wraps up with the final on March 8, 2026. Hosted across India and Sri Lanka with 20 teams, it spans about a month—group stages from early February, Super 8s mid-month, semis late February/early March, and the final in Colombo or Mumbai.
- In India, tune into Star Sports Network (Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2) or stream on Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema.
- Pakistan viewers can watch on PTV Sports, A Sports, or Ten Sports, with streaming available on Tapmad and Tamasha.
- For Sri Lanka, options include SLRC, Channel Eye, and Siyatha TV on TV, plus Sri Lanka Cricket YouTube and Dialog ViU online.
- UK fans have Sky Sports Cricket, TNT Sports 1, and talkSPORT on television, alongside Sky Go, Discovery+, and NOW TV for streaming.
- In South Africa, SuperSport covers it on TV and via their app.
- Australia might check Fox Sports for TV and Kayo Sports for live streams.
- USA and Canada: Willow TV on TV, Sling TV or Willow HD app for streaming.
- New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ on TV and Sky Go app.
- Bangladesh: Gazi TV (GTV) and Rabith BD app.
- Afghanistan: RTA Sport and Ariana TV.
Rest of the world: ICC.tv for free streaming where no local rights holder exists. Subscriptions often apply, and VPNs can assist with geo-blocks where permitted.
How to Watch the Match for Free:
Catch every boundary without paying via these official free options, perfect for fans in Pakistan and beyond.
Pakistan: PTV Sports broadcasts all matches live for free on TV via terrestrial, cable, and satellite—no subscription needed.
Live Streaming Info:
The 44th T20 World Cup match will be live on Willow Cricket.
Live Score Info:
Probable XIs
England Probable XI: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, Will Jacks, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood
Pakistan Probable XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Usman Khan, Salman Agha (c), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Usman Tariq
Head-to-Head Record
England dominates Pakistan with 21 wins from 31 T20Is, Pakistan claiming 9, and one no-result. In T20 World Cups, England leads 3-0. Last five meetings: England won by 7 wickets (The Oval, 2024), 23 runs (Birmingham, 2024), 5 wickets (Melbourne, 2022), 67 runs (Lahore, 2022), and 8 wickets (Lahore, 2022); Pakistan’s lone recent scalp was a 6-run thriller in Lahore.
England Analysis
England enters on a high, unbeaten in Super 8s after defending 147 against Sri Lanka on a turning track—their bowlers skittled the hosts for 95. Strengths lie in explosive batting depth and a varied attack, with Jofra Archer’s pace and Adil Rashid’s leg-spin troubling opponents. Weaknesses? Occasional middle-order wobbles, as seen in group-stage loss to West Indies. Key performers: Sam Curran (98 runs, 6 wickets this tournament), Will Jacks (recent firepower), and Harry Brook leading calmly.
Pakistan Analysis
Pakistan sits second after group-stage wins over Netherlands, USA, and Namibia (102 runs), despite a 61-run drubbing by India. Their top-order consistency and spin depth shine, but bowling leaks under pressure remain a flaw—evident in the India collapse. Sahibzada Farhan’s century versus Namibia (220 runs series average 111) and Salman Agha’s captaincy are highlights, backed by Shaheen Afridi’s swing and Shadab Khan’s all-round bite.
Key Battles
Watch Salt-Buttler fireworks against Shaheen-Naseem new-ball swing, Brook’s anchoring tested by Rashid’s rival Shadab, and Curran’s all-round edge over Pakistan’s middle order. Spinners like Rashid and Usman Tariq (8 wickets) could dominate the death.
England’s form, head-to-head edge, and batting firepower give them a slight advantage on this slowing pitch, likely winning a close one chasing 150-160. Pakistan’s spin and Farhan’s form keep it tight, but expect England to prevail by 10-20 runs or 6 wickets.