Pakistan will lock horns with England in the Super Eight stage of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 tomorrow at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Sri Lanka.
Currently, the Men in Green are placed third on the points table after their crucial game against New Zealand was washed out due to heavy rains, without a single ball being bowled.
England secured the top spot after defeating Sri Lanka by a huge margin of 51 runs, restricting the home side below a hundred and sending a strong message to the other group members.
The match carries immense importance for the Salman Ali Agha-led side, as losing to England could halt their progress to the semi-final stage of the marquee event.
England have a strong hold over Pakistan in the shortest format, both in bilateral series and T20 World Cups, with the last bilateral series in 2024 won by England 2-0 in a four-match series.
Both England and Pakistan have faced each other in 31 T20I matches, with England winning 21, the Green Shirts claiming nine victories, and one match ending without a result.
Both teams first faced each other in the T20 World Cup 2009, and since then, they have played three more World Cup matches, with England emerging victorious on all occasions.
| Team | Total | Win | Loss | No result |
| Pakistan | 31 | 9 | 21 | 1 |
| England | 31 | 21 | 9 | 1 |
England kept their ICC World Twenty20 hopes alive with a commanding 48-run victory over the Men in Green at The Oval, reaching the Super Eight stage after Kevin Pietersen’s brilliant 58 off 38 balls.
Pakistan struggled in all departments, dropping multiple catches, fielding poorly, and failing to build partnerships, leaving them well short of form despite having another opportunity against the Netherlands in their next match.
Pietersen’s return inspired England, supported by Luke Wright and Owais Shah, while disciplined bowling from Broad, Rashid, and Mascarenhas, coupled with sharp fielding, prevented Pakistan from ever seriously challenging the target.
Despite brief resistance, Pakistan’s top order struggled, with Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi underperforming, while England’s superior tactics ensured a decisive win, highlighting a dramatic turnaround in fortunes within 48 hours.
Kevin Pietersen’s unbeaten 73 helped England win with three balls to spare against Pakistan, putting them in a strong position to qualify for the semi-finals despite his late arrival for the tournament.
Despite scoring a duck in his only warm-up innings against South Africa, Pietersen showed consistent form in the IPL and in Guyana, reinforcing his role as a crucial match-winner for England under pressure.
England’s batting line-up is now packed with power, including Michael Lumb, Craig Kieswetter, and Eoin Morgan, allowing multiple players to clear the boundary and reducing dependence on a single batsman for big hits.
Pietersen also made a significant impact in the field, taking a stunning deep midwicket catch to dismiss Umar Akmal, while Pakistan’s poor fielding undermined their chances despite posting a decent total of 147.
England chased 138 for 5 to beat Pakistan 137 for 8 by five wickets in the 2022 T20 World Cup final, becoming the first team to hold both men’s World Cups simultaneously.
Ben Stokes anchored England’s tense run chase with an unbeaten 73, overcoming early dot-ball struggles, targeting Iftikhar Ahmed, and recording his first T20I half-century in a major tournament final.
The game’s turning point came when Shaheen Shah Afridi dismissed Harry Brook with a sharp catch but injured his right knee, forcing him out, while England capitalised on weakened bowling and fielding to maintain control.
Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, and Adil Rashid took crucial wickets, while Liam Livingstone’s catches and Pakistan’s errors restricted them to 137, helping England secure a thrilling victory with Stokes starring.