Pakistan vs USA – T20 World Cup 2026: Match time, team news and form guide

Colombo, Sri Lanka – A tantalising Group A contest awaits at the Sinhalese Sports Club on Tuesday night when Pakistan and the United States lock horns in a fixture that could define the trajectory of both campaigns at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The action gets under way at 7 pm local time (13:30 GMT), with Al Jazeera Sport providing live coverage from 10:30 GMT.

Salman Ali Agha’s Pakistan arrived in Sri Lanka on the heels of a series sweep over Australia, yet their tournament opener against the Netherlands did little to calm the nerves of their fervent followers. Reduced to 98 for 7 in pursuit of 149, Pakistan flirted with disaster before a late-innings revival sealed a jittery victory. The skipper will demand a sharper showing with both bat and ball if his side are to keep their destiny in their own hands.

Across the dressing-room divide, the USA can take heart from coming within touching distance of a seismic upset against reigning champions India. Monank Patel’s men matched their illustrious opponents for 38 overs before falling short in the final exchanges, a result that nevertheless signalled their intent to the rest of the competition.

History between these two sides is sparse but unforgettable. At the 2024 edition, the Americans stunned the 2009 champions in a dramatic super-over finish after both teams finished on 159. Pakistan’s star-studded batting line-up imploded under pressure, while the USA kept their composure to author one of the tournament’s greatest shocks. That result still reverberates, and Pakistan will be eager to avoid a repeat.

Selection-wise, neither camp is expected to tinker. Pakistan are set to retain the XI that overcame the Dutch, with Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub tasked with providing brisk starts, captain Salman Agha anchoring the middle order, and the pace-spin duo of Shaheen Shah Afridi and Abrar Ahmed leading the attack. The USA, meanwhile, will back the same combination that pushed India to the brink: Andries Gous and Saiteja Mukkamalla at the top, the experienced Milind Kumar in the middle, and the wily left-arm pair of Saurabh Netravalkar and Ali Khan with the new ball.

With net run-rate already a potential tie-breaker in a tightly-knit group, both sides know that a win here could prove priceless. Pakistan’s flair remains as explosive as their unpredictability, while the USA’s fearlessness has become their calling card. Something, as ever, will have to give under the Colombo floodlights.

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