ICC T20 World Cup 2026: England vs Pakistan | Match 45 | Super 8 | Group 2 | Pallekele| February 24 | Pre-Match Discussion

[RedwoodOriginal]

came across a few tweets saying that ‘brainless’ Shaheen will be back

Don't see any reason why Salman Mirza should be replaced. Might just be a rumor

 

[corleone]

Farhan
Saim
Agha
Fakhar
Usman
Nafay
Shadab
Nawaz
Abrar
Mirza
Tariq

This is our best XI. I challenge Pak management to be bold by dropping Babar and Shaheen. Rashid has Babar's number and Shaheen's gun barrel straight full deliveries would be cannon fodder for Salt, Butler, Brook et al.

 

[shah9425]

This is a must win game for semi qualification

Hopefully useless Babar is dropped

 

[zahid01]

Farhan
Saim
Agha
Fakhar
Usman
Nafay
Shadab
Nawaz
Abrar
Mirza
Tariq

This is our best XI. I challenge Pak management to be bold by dropping Babar and Shaheen. Rashid has Babar's number and Shaheen's gun barrel straight full deliveries would be cannon fodder for Salt, Butler, Brook et al.

Just one seamer if its not a turner's spinners will be taken to the cleaners you need pace to back up spinners

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Liam Dawson in press conference ahead of Pakistan vs England Super 8 match:

Q: England has struggled against spin recently. With Pakistan having several spinners, is this a major concern?

Dawson: We played spin very well in the bilateral series against Sri Lanka leading up to this. While we’ve had a couple of tough games, we are winning, and that’s what matters. We know we have the ability to bat better against it.

Q: How do you plan to combat Pakistan's Usman Tariq?

Dawson: We haven't spoken about him yet as we were fully focused on Sri Lanka. We will do our homework tomorrow. He is a very good bowler but Pakistan has a well-rounded dangerous team; we won't focus solely on him.

Q: Have you ever faced Tariq before? There's been talk of Harry Brook mimicking his action in the nets.

Dawson: No, I haven't played him. There hasn't been much specific chat in the dressing room yet. We will look at their whole team to see how we can nullify their overall threat.

 

[corleone]

Just one seamer if its not a turner's spinners will be taken to the cleaners you need pace to back up spinners

We haven't got any reliable pacers in the squad. Faheem, Naseem and Shaheen would all be taken to the cleaners. I guess we'll have to see how the pitch looks tomorrow. Perhaps drop Abrar to make room for Faheem.

 

[zahid01]

We haven't got any reliable pacers in the squad. Faheem, Naseem and Shaheen would all be taken to the cleaners. I guess we'll have to see how the pitch looks tomorrow. Perhaps drop Abrar to make room for Faheem.

Naseem needs to play alongside mirza

 

[G0rmintAunty]

H2H in T20I is 21-9 to England
In T20 WCs, they are leading 3-0
Last 5 matches 5-0

But these two sides haven't played a T20I in 2 years and the conditions are not the type of conditions that play to England's best strengths. So should hopefully be a good game.

Also Eng and Pak have never played each other in any format in SL, so all that past baggage is irrelevant. We should just play our best XI according to the condishuns.

 

[TheSultan]

What’s the latest? Which loser is rumoured to play? Babar? shaheen? Shadab?

 

[AZulfi]

Virtually a QF for Pakistan.

 

[TheSultan]

Farhan
Saim
Agha
Fakhar
Usman
Nafay
Shadab
Nawaz
Abrar
Mirza
Tariq

This is our best XI. I challenge Pak management to be bold by dropping Babar and Shaheen. Rashid has Babar's number and Shaheen's gun barrel straight full deliveries would be cannon fodder for Salt, Butler, Brook et al.

I would drop one of Nawaz or Shadab for Naseem

 

[Cricket Warrior]

so technically England would have the upper hand

https://twitter.com/x/status/2026008215792800025

 

[salman24]

Saim
Farhan
Babar
Salman
Fakhar
Usman
Shadab
Faheem
Abrar/Nawaz
Mirza
Tariq

 

[Adnan_Ilyas]

In this game vs Sri Lanka most of England batting collapsed except for Phil Salt and Will Jack's. I think our bowlers are better than Sri Lankas?

Just hope our batting clicks. Saim needs to come good, Farhan needs to what he is doing, Salman looked decent last game, hopefully Babar steps up and Shadab Nawaz Faheem actually score

 

[shah9425]

A win is needed for Pakistan

 

[TheSultan]

Pakistan need to ditch the reputations and be ruthless with their selection for what is essentially a Knock Out.

Drop Babar, keep shaheen out, bring in Abrar and Naseem for Shadab/Nawaz and Faheem. If the SL match becomes a dead rubber, give Zimbu and clipped eagle a farewell!

 

[Aami]

Ideal side (a bit brave), but it wont happen...

Farhan
Saim
Salman
Fakhar
Nafay
Shadab
Nawaz
Faheem
Abrar
Mirza
Tariq

 

[emranabbas]

England will struggle against spin when playing Pakistan. Their batters are more comfortable facing fast bowlers

 

[PakFan2010]

Pakistan are going to get a reality check tomorrow.

England's top 7 is extremely powerful.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Ideal side (a bit brave), but it wont happen...

Farhan
Saim
Salman
Fakhar
Nafay
Shadab
Nawaz
Faheem
Abrar
Mirza
Tariq

Perfect 11

 

[Kroll]

Hesson can't drop his Babar and full tosser Shadab

Fixed for you.

 

[corleone]

Ideal side (a bit brave), but it wont happen...

Farhan
Saim
Salman
Fakhar
Nafay
Shadab
Nawaz
Faheem
Abrar
Mirza
Tariq

Who's keeping wicket? Nafay is a bang average keeper.

 

[Aami]

Who's keeping wicket? Nafay is a bang average keeper.

Nafay or even Farhan

 

[hur rizvi]

This could be the end of Pak semi hopes. Just hope they don’t surrender meekly

 

[Aami]

This could be the end of Pak semi hopes. Just hope they don’t surrender meekly

That is something you always fear with Pakistan, on paper they look absolutely crap, but, expect the worst (which tends to happen quite often) .. and hope for the best.

 

[Kroll]

so technically England would have the upper hand

https://twitter.com/x/status/2026008215792800025

None of them are recent, though we still have a core bunch of losers from 2022 who are used to losing and getting humiliated on a regular basis.

 

[jnaveen1980]

50-50. One is batting strong. One is bowling strong. SA, WI, NZ are scary looking batting line up. Expected line up like Australia, India, England peaked too early. Going by the trend Pakistan will be through. So far all matches have been one-sided. Hope it is a good contest.