ICC Men’s T20 WC 2026 | Match 45: England vs Pakistan | Preview and Prediction

Two teams who have struggled and stumbled their way to the Super Eights now have a clean slate. Now, as they face each other in Match 45 of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, England and Pakistan will look to secure their spot at the top of their new group and get closer to the semi-finals.

Here, we present our preview and predictions for the game.

ICC Men’s T20 WC 2026 | Match 45: ENG vs PAK | 19:00 IST, 24 February 2026

England kicked off their campaign with a nervy win against Nepal and then went down to the West Indies, before picking up two less-than-ideal wins against Scotland and Italy to qualify for the Super Eight stage.

The biggest issue for the English this tournament so far has been their batting, which has not clicked as a unit yet. They’ll hope that their batters manage to get their act together soon. Both their openers, Phil Salt and Jos Buttler, have struggled for runs, but there is plenty of experience between them, and the English management will back them to step up when it matters most.

Jacob Bethell has been one of England’s shining stars with the bat, with captain Harry Brook and Tom Banton having also made impactful knocks in the middle order. Will Jacks stepped up against Italy to give England some much-needed depth, while Sam Curran has been handy with his cameos and will be expected to keep up his good work.

England’s slower bowlers have been the ones doing the heavy lifting, with the spin trio of Adil Rashid, Liam Dawson, and Will Jacks being the main wicket threat. Curran has been impactful here as well with his variations, while Jamie Overton has been handy at the start.

Like England, Pakistan also started with a nervy win and followed it up with a loss to India, but since then they have picked up some form.

Sahibzada Farhan has been at his explosive best at the top of the order, and with Saim Ayub yet to get going, Farhan has been key for Pakistan. Salman Agha and Babar Azam have made two decent contributions, but barring that the Pakistani middle order is yet to contribute, and Agha will hope that his middle order stands up and delivers when expected.

Pakistan have played all their games in Sri Lanka and on slow and turning pitches, so unsurprisingly it’s the spinners and slow bowlers who have been thriving. The Pakistani spin attack, comprising Usman Tariq, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, and Abrar Ahmed, has been leading the charge, and Pakistan also have more options in Salman Agha and Saim Ayub, who have shown that they can pick up wickets and keep it tight.

The Pallekele ground has provided runs for the batters this tournament, with spinners having a good time as well. Pakistan have played all their games in Sri Lanka and will be more familiar with the conditions compared to England. That said, given their squad strength and big-moment experience, we back England as the surprise winners here. 

Fantasy XI: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Sam Curran (c), Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Adil Rashid, Usman Tariq

Venue: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, Kandy
Winners Prediction: England