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The upcoming much-awaited T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka will begin with a Group A match as Pakistan face the Netherlands on 7 February at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.
The Men in Green will enter the marquee tournament on the back of strong recent performances in the shortest format of the game, including a whitewash of Australia in a three-match T20I series at home.
The Salman Agha-led Pakistan will also face the United States and Namibia in the group stage, while the national team has withdrawn from its match against India after the government barred it.
While the Men in Green had a disappointing campaign at the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies, this article looks at Group A and how challenging the path will be for Pakistan to reach the next stage.
Pakistan vs The Netherlands – 07 February
Pakistan will open their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against the Netherlands in Colombo, where the spin-friendly conditions could make the Dutch side a challenging opponent in the tournament opener.
The Netherlands, now playing their seventh ICC T20 World Cup, have twice reached the second round, most recently in 2022 in Australia , proving they can compete strongly against top-ranked teams.
Two prominent players Bas de Leede and Max O’Dowd return to the Netherlands squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup, having impressed in Australia during the 2022 edition with standout performances for their side.
De Leede took 13 wickets to finish joint second in the bowling charts, while O’Dowd scored 242 runs, placing him just behind the Indian batting great Virat Kohli among the tournament’s top run-scorers.
Veteran left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe brings vital experience, having played internationally since 2009 and helping the Netherlands secure a memorable 2023 World Cup win over South Africa.
Pakistan Vs USA – 10 February
Three days after their opening match against the Netherlands, Pakistan will face the USA, hoping to recover from their disappointing 2024 T20 World Cup campaign, where losses to the USA ended their run early.
The USA, who impressed in 2024, will aim to repeat their success abroad, having beaten Canada at home and narrowly defeated Pakistan in a Super Over, advancing to the Super 8 stage behind India.
Since that tournament, USA have strengthened their record, winning a thrilling North America T20 Cup final against Canada and completing a 3-0 series sweep against Oman in the recent time.
Monank Patel will again lead the side, having scored a half-century against Pakistan previously, while the team relies on key players such as Saiteja Mukkamalla, their highest-ranked batter at 25th in the world.
The 21-year-old Mukkamalla has already scored international hundreds in both white-ball formats and maintains an impressive T20 average of 42.60, giving the USA confidence to challenge stronger teams in this World Cup.
Pakistan Vs Namibia – 18 February
Pakistan’s final group-stage match will be against Namibia in seven days, as government of Pakistan has barred the national team to not play against India match scheduled on February 15
Namibia are appearing in their fourth consecutive ICC T20 World Cup, having reached the Super 12 stage on debut in 2021, famously defeating the Netherlands and making a strong impression on the tournament.
In their previous tournament across the West Indies and USA, Namibia won their opener against Oman in a thrilling Super Over, with Ruben Trumpelmann taking four wickets and returning to strengthen the squad.
