ICC Men’s T20 WC 2026 | Match 27: India vs Pakistan | Preview and Predictions

India will take on Pakistan in this box-office Group A clash at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 15, 2026. 

Here, we present our preview and predictions for Match 27 of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

ICC Men’s T20 WC 2026 Group A | Match 27: IND vs PAK | 21:00 IST, February 15, 2026

India–Pakistan has long been one of the most iconic rivalries in cricket, though when it comes to ICC tournaments, India have had the upper hand. There was a lot of drama around this fixture, as Pakistan had initially declared their intent to boycott the game but acquiesced once the group stage commenced. 

This particular match doesn’t hold much significance in terms of Super Eight qualification, as both teams have four points from their two matches and look set for the next round. However, the significance lies in terms of the bragging rights, as this is a match neither team will want to lose. 

While India defeated Namibia comfortably in their previous encounter, Pakistan avenged their defeat in the 2024 T20 World Cup against the USA.

India batted first, with the in-form Ishan Kishan giving them a blistering start in the first six overs. However, Namibia kept making inroads in the Indian batting order until Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube collaborated to take India past 200. At one point, it seemed the Men in Blue might cross 230+, but a disciplined spell at the death from Namibia saw wickets fall in a heap, and the hosts were limited to a total of 209/9 in their quota of 20 overs.

In response, Namibia started well and took the game to the Indians, scoring 60+ runs in the Powerplay with the loss of one wicket. However, the introduction of India’s game-changers Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, and Jasprit Bumrah proved too much for the Namibian batters, and they collapsed in front of some superb bowling. Pandya capped off the evening with a top-class all-round performance, and in the end, Namibia fell short by a massive 93 runs.

Pakistan, meanwhile, also batted first in their match against the US. In-form Sahibzada Farhan led the batting attack and was ably supported by Babar Azam and Shadab Khan to take his side to an above-par total of 190/9. The USA had performed superbly with the ball against India, but they were unable to execute their plan against Pakistan and conceded far too many runs for their comfort.

In response, only Shubham Ranjane and Shayan Jehangir took the Pakistan bowling unit to task, but they didn’t get the required support from other batters. Eventually, the US fell short by 32 runs. Usman Tariq and Shadab Khan were the pick of the Pakistan bowlers, sending five American batters back to the dugout. In the end, it turned out to be a comfortable win for the Men in Green.

India are undoubtedly the best team in the T20 format, but when it comes to these matches, nothing can be taken for granted. While Pakistan will likely field the same team, it will be interesting to see what line-up India go with for this fixture.

With opener Abhishek Sharma doubtful, Sanju Samson might get the nod for the opening slot alongside Ishan Kishan, as he did for Namibia. In the bowling department, India may go in for a spinner instead of a fast bowler, as the Premadasa pitch tends to assist the slower bowlers. It will also be mighty interesting to see if India go in with one premier fast bowler and three spinners, or two front-line fast bowlers and a spin all-rounder, replacing Rinku Singh in the line-up.

As far as predicting the result is concerned, India definitely possess a superior batting line-up on paper compared to Pakistan. However, their weakness against spin is something the PAK bowlers can exploit, especially Usman Tariq, whom India hasn’t faced as yet.

The weather conditions are not very positive, with rain delays and interruptions predicted for the matchday. If DLS comes into play, it could be anyone’s game, but if we go on form, on-paper quality, and recent head-to-head record, the Men in Blue hold a clear edge.

Fantasy XI: Ishan Kishan (wk), Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Shadab Khan, Usman Tariq, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Jasprit Bumrah

Venue: R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka 
Winners Prediction: India