Pakistan seek a more dominant performance against USA's promise

After nearly stumbling against the Netherlands in their opening match, Pakistan will be hoping for a far more authoritative performance when they take on the United States in their second Group fixture of the T20 World Cup 2026 in Colombo on Tuesday (February 10).

There will be no room for complacency. Pakistan know better than most that the USA can punch above their weight. The dramatic Super Over upset from the last edition, which paved the USA's way to Super 8 qualification, would be at the back of their minds. The Americans also gave India a genuine scare in their tournament opener in Mumbai, showcasing their growing confidence. With a batting order prone to collapses, this contest can be trickier than it appears on paper.

There were no complaints in Pakistan's bowling show on a fresh Sinhalese Sports Club wicket that sported a fair bit of grass. The spinners and pacers combined to keep the Netherlands to 147. However, their batting leaves a lot to be desired. If not for a lucky reprieve and penultimate-over heroics from Faheem Ashraf, Pakistan could have been off to a forgettable start.

The USA began their World Cup campaign on a dream note. They had defending champions India on the mat at 46/4 and then 118/7 before Suryakumar Yadav's counterattack. A similar top-order collapse then left their middle and lower order with a mountain to climb.

Injury concerns compound their opening-match heartbreak. While Shubham Ranjane returned to bat after hobbling off, the injury to key pacer Ali Khan is a headache for the short turnaround. They have called up former Pakistan cricketer Ehsan Adil as an injury replacement, and he could walk straight into the XI.

When: Tuesday, February 10 at 7 PM Local | 1:30 PM GMT
Where: Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo
What to expect: A bit of cloud cover but no significant rain. The pitch had some grass for the opener and may stay low. Chasing should be the preferred choice.

Pakistan: Likely to stick with the same XI.
Probable XI: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed

USA: Ali Khan is a doubtful starter. His approved injury replacement, Ehsan Adil, could make his USA debut.
Probable XI: Andries Gous (wk), Saiteja Mukkamalla, Monank Patel (c), Milind Kumar, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Shubham Ranjane, Harmeet Singh, Mohammad Mohsin, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Ehsan Adil/Ali Khan, Saurabh Netravalkar