The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will kick off on February 7, 2026, with three matches scheduled on the opening day. Pakistan will open its campaign against the Netherlands in Colombo at 11:00 am IST. West Indies will face Scotland in Kolkata at 3:00 pm IST, while India will take on the USA in Mumbai at 7:00 pm IST.
Ahead of the tournament, Pakistan’s participation came under a cloud after Bangladesh withdrew from the competition. Speculation grew that Pakistan might also pull out in solidarity. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) hinted at such a possibility, raising serious concerns for tournament organisers.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) responded firmly, warning Pakistan of strict sanctions if it withdrew at the last moment. Within hours of this warning, the PCB announced a 15-member squad, confirming Pakistan’s participation and putting an end to the uncertainty.
Pakistan will be led by Salman Ali Agha, with selectors opting for a balanced mix of experience and youth. The return of senior players was a major highlight. Babar Azam is back to anchor the batting line-up, while Shaheen Shah Afridi returns to spearhead the pace attack alongside Naseem Shah.
At the same time, the selection sparked debate. Express pacer Haris Rauf was dropped due to concerns over form and fitness following the Asia Cup 2025. Veteran wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan also failed to cut a modest run in franchise cricket.
Pakistan will play all their group-stage matches in Colombo, including the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan clash on February 15, one of the most-watched fixtures in world cricket.
Pakistan Squad for T20 World Cup 2026
- Salman Ali Agha (Captain)
- Abrar Ahmed
- Babar Azam
- Faheem Ashraf
- Fakhar Zaman
- Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (Wicketkeeper)
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Mohammad Salman Mirza
- Naseem Shah
- Sahibzada Farhan (Wicketkeeper)
- Saim Ayub
- Shaheen Shah Afridi
- Shadab Khan
- Usman Khan (Wicketkeeper)
- Usman Tariq
- ICC Men’s T20 World Cup begins on February 7, 2026.
- Opening-day fixtures:
- Pakistan vs Netherlands — Colombo — 11:00 am IST
- West Indies vs Scotland — Kolkata — 3:00 pm IST
- India vs USA — Mumbai — 7:00 pm IST
- Pakistan confirmed participation hours after an ICC warning of severe sanctions
- The India–Pakistan match on February 15 remains the marquee clash of the group stage.
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