Spin in focus again as high-flying England eye Pakistan scalp

England gear up for their second game in Pallekele with early control of Group 2 in the Super Eights after their commanding win over Sri Lanka. Pakistan, meanwhile, have a solitary point following the washout against New Zealand and will be searching for more to boost their chances of a semifinal push.

History has largely favoured England. They lead the overall T20I head-to-head 21-9 and have won all three previous meetings against Pakistan in T20 World Cups, including the 2022 final. In Pallekele, where surfaces have consistently brought spin into the contest, adaptability will again be tested. England hold a slight advantage in that regard, having already played at the venue in the competition, while this will be Pakistan's first outing here.

If there is one area England will want sharper returns from, it is the top order. Despite Phil Salt's fine knock of 62 against Sri Lanka, England's openers have produced the lowest aggregate amongst all teams in the Super Eights. That fragility at the top becomes particularly relevant against a Pakistan attack that has traditionally thrived when early pressure is created.

The broader concern for England is their record against spin in this edition. They have already lost 21 wickets to spin, the most by any side in the tournament. With both teams having relied heavily on spin, Tuesday's contest could well hinge on which batting unit negotiates spin with greater control.

Pakistan, meanwhile, have their own points of focus. Sahibzada Farhan's prolific run in T20 cricket since the start of 2025, including five hundreds in that period, offers them a game-changer at the top. However, the rest of Pakistan's batting order is yet to make a significant mark in this tournament, placing added pressure on Farhan to provide strong starts.

When: Tuesday, February 24 at 7:00 PM Local Time

Where: Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele

What to expect: The surface showed some stickiness in the previous Super Eights game here, making run-scoring far from straightforward. With no rain around now, the pitch has had time to settle, which could aid better batting. Spin is still expected to play a major role.

England: Harry Brook's side has remained unchanged for a while and are likely to stick with the same combination.

Probable XI: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid

Pakistan: It appears unlikely that Shaheen Afridi will return to the XI, with Salman Mirza set to retain his place. Pakistan brought back Fakhar Zaman into the mix against New Zealand and are expected to give him a go.

It will be interesting to see where Babar Azam bats. Against Namibia, he did not come out to bat, with other players sent ahead of him. Head coach Mike Hesson indicated Babar's strike rate in the Powerplay in World Cups is less than 100, suggesting his role could be that of a stabiliser at No. 4 in case of early wickets.

Probable XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq

Key Stats:

• Under Harry Brook, England have bowled more overs of spin (53.2%) than pace (46.7%).
• England's pacers have picked up 11 wickets in the Powerplay, second most in this World Cup. Jofra Archer has picked up seven of them.
• Sahibzada Farhan is the leading run-getter in T20s since January 2025, with 2295 runs in 62 innings and five hundreds.

Quotes:
"Obviously they're a very good team with some dangerous players… we'll look at the whole team and see how we can nullify them" – Liam Dawson.

"No, it's not a big deal to face Jofra Archer… It's not that only he will have plans. So, we will see. It will be a good match" – Sahibzada Farhan.