Pakistan ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Opening Match
Pakistan ICC T20 World Cup 2026 journey will begin on Saturday when the national team faces the Netherlands at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.
The first ball will be bowled at 11:00 AM local time while fans in Pakistan can tune in from 10:30 AM PKT. The mega tournament is being co hosted by Sri Lanka and India from February 7 to March 8.
Pakistan ICC T20 World Cup Under New Captain
Salman Ali Agha will lead Pakistan in his first ICC T20 World Cup as captain. He has previously captained Pakistan in 43 T20I matches and secured 27 victories.
Pakistan enter the tournament with strong momentum after winning 10 of their last 13 T20I matches since the Asia Cup 2025. The recent 3 0 clean sweep against Australia in Lahore has further boosted team confidence.
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Pakistan ICC T20 World Cup Preparation Update
Both Pakistan and Australia arrived in Colombo on February 2. Unfortunately both teams warm up matches were washed out due to rain. Despite this Pakistan completed two intensive training sessions ahead of the opening fixture.
Several experienced players including Babar Azam Fakhar Zaman Shaheen Shah Afridi Shadab Khan and Naseem Shah bring valuable World Cup experience to the squad.
World Cup Captain Statement
Salman Ali Agha said the team is focused on winning the tournament and delivering their best performances.
He highlighted that Pakistan have not lost a bilateral series since the Asia Cup and emphasized that every team in the group is competitive and will be taken seriously.
World Cup Historical Context
Pakistan ICC T20 World Cup history includes lifting the trophy in 2009. The team finished runners up in 2007 and 2022 and reached the semi finals in 2010 2012 and 2021.
Overall Pakistan have won 30 of their 51 matches played in ICC Men T20 World Cups making them one of the most consistent teams in the tournament history.
Pakistan ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Groups
- Group A
India Namibia Netherlands Pakistan USA - Group B
Australia Ireland Oman Sri Lanka Zimbabwe - Group C
England Italy Nepal Scotland West Indies - Group D
Afghanistan Canada New Zealand South Africa UAE
World Cup Squad
Salman Ali Agha captain Abrar Ahmed Babar Azam Faheem Ashraf Fakhar Zaman Khawaja Mohammad Nafay Mohammad Nawaz Mohammad Salman Mirza Naseem Shah Sahibzada Farhan Saim Ayub Shaheen Shah Afridi Shadab Khan Usman Khan Usman Tariq
External Reference
For official fixtures squads and updates visit the Pakistan Cricket Board website
https://www.pcb.com.pk
Frequently Asked Questions FAQs
When does Pakistan ICC T20 World Cup 2026 campaign start
Pakistan begin their campaign on February 7 against Netherlands.
Where is Pakistan first match being played
The match will be played at Sinhalese Sports Club Colombo.
Who is Pakistan captain for ICC T20 World Cup 2026
Salman Ali Agha is leading Pakistan in the tournament.
Has Pakistan won an ICC T20 World Cup before
Yes Pakistan won the ICC T20 World Cup in 2009.
How many matches has Pakistan won in T20 World Cups
Pakistan have won 30 matches in ICC Men T20 World Cup history.
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