ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Sri Lanka vs Pakistan | Match 50 | Super 8 | Group 2 | Pallekele| February 28 | Pre-Match Discussion

[Cricket Warrior]

After losing to England, Pakistan is now close to getting knocked out of the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup 2026. Other results might help, but they must beat hosts Sri Lanka to stay in the tournament.

Pakistan will be relying a lot on Sahibzada Farhan, and if he doesn’t perform, it could be tough for the team. With Sri Lanka’s spin-heavy attack, their batting will be tested, as playing spin has been a weak spot.

The match will be at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. Who do you think will win?

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Two of the worst teams of the Super Eights.

They will be fighting for the wooden spoon by the time this match rolls around.

 

[batandballbattle]

fight for 3rd place, basically an opportunity for the boys to book their places for the next 3 years when the lights are lowest

 

[shah9425]

Time for these clowns to cement their places for 2028

 

[PakFan2010]

1. Sahibzada Farhan
2. Usman Khan
3. Saim Ayub
4. Fakhar Zaman
5. Agha Salman
6. Shadab Khan
7. Khawaja Nafay
8. Shaheen Shah Afridi
9. Naseem Shah
10. Abrar Ahmed
11. Usman Tariq

4 genuine bowling options.

 

[AAli98]

This word cup was all about getting revenge from USA mission accomplished. Pak is definitely the best of the minnows.

 

[CricVet]

You have to play Babar for a fitting farewell. A big ZERO will be awesome - he deserves it

 

[lucky_fish]

Saim is not an opening bat.
Ideally 5/6.....look at him as a permanent replacement for M Nawaz post WC.
Saim down the order as a finisher could be brilliant. As an opener he's had more than enough chances.

Fakhar should open against SL.

Bench Babar and play Nafay at 3...Agha at 4.

Farhan
Fakhar
Nafay
Agha
Saim
Usman

(We are missing Hasan Nawaz here for sure)

 

[RehanG]

Drop Babar, and if you cant
Open with Babar

Farhan
Babar
Agha
Fakhar
Saim
Shadab
Nawaz
Shaheen
Abrar
Usman
Naseem

 

[TheSultan]

We are on the verge of going out. Please for one game at least pick the following team and give yourself the best chance

1. Farhan
2. Fakhar
3. Agha (have to stick with him for now )
4. Nafay
5. Usman
6. Saim (playing as a bowling allrounder)
7. Nawaz/Shadab (flip a coin) or Faheem if a pacer’s pitch
8. Naseem
9. Shaheen (for now, Salman royally screwed up his last spell)
10. Abrar
11. Tariq


That’s the best I can muster from what’s available. They may all fail - but we’re failing anyway

 

[RehanG]

Drop Babar, and if you cant
Open with Babar

Farhan
Babar
Agha
Fakhar
Saim
Shadab
Nawaz
Shaheen
Abrar
Usman
Naseem

 

[CricVet]

We are on the verge of going out. Please for one game at least pick the following team and give yourself the best chance

1. Farhan
2. Fakhar
3. Agha (have to stick with him for now )
4. Nafay
5. Usman
6. Saim (playing as a bowling allrounder)
7. Nawaz/Shadab (flip a coin) or Faheem if a pacer’s pitch
8. Naseem
9. Shaheen (for now, Salman royally screwed up his last spell)
10. Abrar
11. Tariq


That’s the best I can muster from what’s available. They may all fail - but we’re failing anyway

This dumb coach and captain combo lack common sense which is visible in game strategy and players' selection EVEN from the goofy selected squad. I think last Fakhar opened was in ACC final which was a better opening than any in a big game. The low IQ coach and captain combo decided to change the strategy and kept playing foolish games with the squad with the WC no more than 5 months out. Explain the logic if you can.

 

[sweep_shot]

Pakistan should try to win big and hope for the best regarding other results.

 

[mon858]

Beleive it or not, I would rather open with Babar than no look walking wicket Saim.

Babar
Farhan
Agha
Fakhar
Nafay
Usman
Nawaz/Saim/Shadab pick one bits n pieces
Shaheen
Nasim
Usman
Abrar

 

[RidiculousMan]

For what it is worth.

1. Fakhar
2. Farhan
3. Salman
4. Usman (WK)
5. Nafay
6. Shadab
7. Faheem
8. Shaheen
9. Naseem
10. Abrae
11. Tariq

 

[Kianig89]

Our chances are zero to none, but we have any mathematical chance before the start of this game

Farhan
Saim
Farhan
Usman
Shadab
Nafay
Agha
Naseem
Mirza
Abrar
Tariq
=========
Lack of options so unable to drop some of the players

 

[psyoptica]

Our chances are zero to none, but we have any mathematical chance before the start of this game

Farhan
Saim
Farhan
Usman
Shadab
Nafay
Agha
Naseem
Mirza
Abrar
Tariq
=========
Lack of options so unable to drop some of the players

Farhan batting twice?

 

[Kianig89]

Farhan batting twice?

i meant fakhar at 3

 

[Ertugrul_Bey]

I have been seeing the same pattern for last 20 years. Every major tournament the team carries a bunch of passengers and players past their prime. No wonder pakistan cricket is on a decline for past so many years.

 

[Devadwal]

If New Zealand wins both matches, this match will be a dead Rubber . NZ will play both matches (on February 25 and 27) before the Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka match.

 

[shah9425]

If New Zealand wins both matches, this match will be a dead Rubber . NZ will play both matches (on February 25 and 27) before the Pakistan vs. Sri Lanka match.

Yeah hopefully NZ will win these both matches

 

[Asif321]

Let Fakhar open. Saim drops to 3 . Agha 4 .

Nafay comes in for Babar , Naseem for Mirza . Abrar for Nawaz .

 

[BouncerGuy]

Keep playing Saim, Salman Tulla, Shadab chest thumper, and 0 performance. We are winning nada... shoona... nothing...zero

 

[TheSultan]

Farhan batting twice?

We need every advantage we can get.

 

[TheSultan]

Keep playing Saim, Salman Tulla, Shadab chest thumper, and 0 performance. We are winning nada... shoona... nothing...zero

Anyone else you wanna name? Be brave - they won’t hurt you

 

[shah9425]

Keep playing Saim, Salman Tulla, Shadab chest thumper, and 0 performance. We are winning nada... shoona... nothing...zero

The biggest fraud veteran playing his 4th T20 WC
You forgot him

 

[shamaan786]

Keep playing Saim, Salman Tulla, Shadab chest thumper, and 0 performance. We are winning nada... shoona... nothing...zero

What about nawaz ?

 

[BouncerGuy]

What about nawaz ?

Nawaz... sure.. His performance has been underpar as well.

 

[shamaan786]

Nawaz... sure.. His performance has been underpar as well.

I think he's been more underpar than Shadab.Nawaz is a serial bottler.

 

[Usman Chadda]

Dead rubber, who cares?

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

Beleive it or not, I would rather open with Babar than no look walking wicket Saim.

Babar
Farhan
Agha
Fakhar
Nafay
Usman
Nawaz/Saim/Shadab pick one bits n pieces
Shaheen
Nasim
Usman
Abrar

Babar at 4 was an experiment that was bound to fail. If two wickets fall early, there's no point in blocking for the next ten overs because if you do so, you will always end up with a sub-par score that can be chased easily. He's also not a big hitter or finisher so having him bat after the 12th over is something that the coach doesn't even want.

The only utility Babar had was that he'd offer solidity at the top by not getting out and the other batter from the other end could continue attacking. It would have been better to keep him at the top so he could help Pak be 45/1 instead of 40/2.

 

[shah9425]

Dead rubber, who cares?

NZ win will make it sure

 

[sweep_shot]

Dead rubber, who cares?

Not a dead rubber yet.

It would be a dead rubber if NZ beat both SL and England.

 

[psyoptica]

I have been seeing the same pattern for last 20 years. Every major tournament the team carries a bunch of passengers and players past their prime. No wonder pakistan cricket is on a decline for past so many years.

Pakistan cricket was on a decline in 2021. It’s now dead

 

[sweep_shot]

Pakistan cricket was on a decline in 2021. It’s now dead

I say 2022 because they reached 2022 World T20 final.

After 2022, things went downhill.

 

[psyoptica]

I say 2022 because they reached 2022 World T20 final.

After 2022, things went downhill.

They were underserving to reach the 2022 final. It was a big joke they played in that final. They were terrible back then as well

 

[shah9425]

They were underserving to reach the 2022 final. It was a big joke they played in that final. They were terrible back then as well

Yeah see their score in final was 138

Pathetic joke

 

[Champ_Pal]

Pak better hope that NZ loses today.

 

[globetrotter]

Today the whole Pakistan is supporting Lanka

 

[shah9425]

Pak better hope that NZ loses today.

Hopefully NZ wins

 

[NeVerMind]

Considering there is not much we can do as too many passengers but Babar needs to be dropped for Nafay and one of Shadab/ Nawaz for Abrar for the game against the Lankans

 

[NeVerMind]

Tbh even Saim deserves to be dropped for maybe Faheem who will probably perform better with the bat...

 

[Kianig89]

So after 3 months of triseries and bilateral tours , finally SL and Pak will conclude it in a dead rubber in a Damn WC game.

Absolutely disgusting

 

[Asif321]

Mike Hesson should come out and bat in place of ayub

Agha must wear a cornered tiger shirt at toss

 

[Asif321]

So after 3 months of triseries and bilateral tours , finally SL and Pak will conclude it in a dead rubber in a Damn WC game.

Absolutely disgusting

All the preparations are for worldcup they said

 

[Asif321]

They were underserving to reach the 2022 final. It was a big joke they played in that final. They were terrible back then as well

Yes lost to Zimbus , choked vs India . Due to Dutch upsetting SA qualified to semis . Only good thing they manage was beating SA and NZ . Not a zalalat team like 2024 and today’s . But still not a World Cup winning team

 

[shah9425]

So after 3 months of triseries and bilateral tours , finally SL and Pak will conclude it in a dead rubber in a Damn WC game.

Absolutely disgusting

Fitting end for two pathetic teams

 

[Usman Chadda]

So after 3 months of triseries and bilateral tours , finally SL and Pak will conclude it in a dead rubber in a Damn WC game.

Absolutely disgusting

If you were expecting them to beat good teams like England and New Zealand, then I guess the fault lies with you.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka are two middling teams with lack of skill and short on match-ups when compared to top teams, it’s the same argument every single time.

Our fans don’t want this team to play the semi-final to devalue this competition, sums it up to be honest with you.

 

[shah9425]

If you were expecting them to beat good teams like England and New Zealand, then I guess the fault lies with you.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka are two middling teams with lack of skill and short on match-ups when compared to top teams, it’s the same argument every single time.

Our fans don’t want this team to play the semi-final to devalue this competition, sums it up to be honest with you.

Well summarised