T20 World Cup 2026 : A blockbuster match between Pakistan and the United States is scheduled for Tuesday (February 10) in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The match will begin at 7:00 PM IST at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo. Nearly 20 months ago, the United States defeated Pakistan in a Super Over in the 2024 T20 World Cup and the memories of that bitter defeat still linger in the minds of the Pakistani team and its fans.
The United States announced its arrival in the international scene by defeating Pakistan in its first T20 World Cup. However, the way this emerging country has fared current World Cup has been poor, though not disheartening. After losing its first match against India, the US team, led by captain Monak Patel, will be looking to stage a strong comeback.
Pakistan narrowly avoided defeat against Netherlands
On Tuesday evening, it wouldn’t be astonishing if the United States defeats Pakistan once again. The way the Pakistani team’s batting has collapsed in the middle overs is a plus point for the US team. Pakistan had a great start chasing a target of 148 runs against the Netherlands, but the middle order let them down.
Faheem Ashraf’s heroic innings then led the Pakistani team to victory. In Pakistan’s batting, all eyes will be on former captain Babar Azam, who has returned to T20 Internationals. A finer show will also be expected from opener Saim Ayub, who has been more active with spin bowling recently.
Captain Salman Ali Agha said after the victory over the Netherlands, “We had a good start, but the pressure increased as wickets fell. In such matches, we have to learn to absorb pressure. Once a player settles into the innings, he has to ensure he finishes the match.”
The United States is also expecting a good performance from the opening batsmen. Monank Patel admitted that his players played loose shots in the powerplay against India. Fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar will also be eager to perform well against Pakistan. However, there are questions about the fitness of fellow pacer Ali Khan, who walked off the field during the match against India. The US bowling team offered some hope in the first match. Led by South African-born Shadlee van Schalkwyk, the US team performed well with the ball.
Colombo Pitch Report and Weather Report
Regarding the SSC Colombo pitch, it generally favours spinners. However, this is the first time a match is being played under lights, which could make dew play a significant factor in the second innings. The team winning the toss may opt to chase. Regarding the weather, clear weather is expected in Colombo today, with temperatures ranging between 24 and 27 degrees. There may be slight humidity, but the chance of rain is negligible.
USA’s Probable Playing XI: Andries Gaus (wicketkeeper), Saiteja Mukkamalla, Monank Patel (captain), Milind Kumar, Sanjay Krishnamurthy, Shubham Ranjane, Harmeet Singh, Mohammad Mohsin, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Ehsan Adil, Saurabh Netravalkar.
Pakistan’s Probable Playing XI: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed.
