COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Pakistan’s final preparation for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 was abruptly halted as persistent rain forced the abandonment of their scheduled warm-up match against Ireland on Wednesday.
Not a single ball was bowled at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground.
The washout deprives the 2009 champions of valuable game time to acclimatise to local conditions.
Under the ICC’s ‘Fusion Formula’, Pakistan’s entire tournament campaign will be played in Sri Lanka, a measure designed to circumvent direct bilateral travel between Pakistan and India during global events.
ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 🏏
The warm-up match between Pakistan and Ireland has been called off due to rain 🌧️#PAKvIRE | #T20WorldCup | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/ftPfBvn4Wr
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) February 4, 2026
Tournament without key fixture
Pakistan will now head into their tournament opener against the Netherlands on February 7 at the SSC Ground without a practice match.
Their Group A schedule includes further fixtures against the USA on February 10 and Namibia on February 18 at the same venue.
Notably absent from their calendar is a clash against arch-rivals India, originally set for February 15 at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium.
The Government of Pakistan has formally barred the national team from participating in that fixture.
Path to knockouts outlined
The tournament format will see the top two teams from each of the four initial groups advance to the Super Eight stage.
This subsequent phase will feature two groups of four, with the top two from each pool qualifying for the semi-finals on March 4 and 5.
In a unique arrangement, if Pakistan progresses to the semi-finals, the knockout matches will be held in Colombo.
Should the team not advance, the semi-finals and final will be hosted in Kolkata and Ahmedabad, India, respectively.
Pakistan squad ready
The Pakistani squad, led by captain Salman Ali Agha, includes a blend of experience and new talent, featuring the newly top-ranked T20I all-rounder Saim Ayub and pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi.
The team will aim to quickly adapt as their World Cup journey begins in earnest this Saturday.
Pakistan Squad for T20 World Cup 2026: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq.
