COLUMBO, Sri Lanka: Pakistan’s 15-member national cricket squad arrived in Colombo on Monday ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which gets underway on February 7.
Pakistan team arrives in Sri Lanka and receives a warm traditional welcome ahead of the T20I series ✨
▶️ Watch the Travel Diary#SLvPAK | #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/IFIIc8WH6Z
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) January 6, 2026
Salman Ali Agha helms a dynamic squad blending youth and experience: Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah, Fakhar Zaman, Saim Ayub, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Khawaja Mohammad Naeef, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Sahibzada Farhan, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq. This mix promises explosive batting firepower and lethal pace-spin variety.
آئی سی سی مینز ٹی ٹونٹی ورلڈ کپ 2026
قومی سکواڈ لاہور سے کولمبو پہنچ گیا
پاکستان ٹیم کل آرام کرے گی
پاکستان اور آئر لینڈ کے مابین چار فروری کو وارم اپ میچ کھیلا جائے گا pic.twitter.com/qbi0OxBNfz
— PCB Media (@TheRealPCBMedia) February 2, 2026
Post-flight recovery spans Monday and Tuesday, letting players acclimate to humid conditions.
Welcome to Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 🇵🇰 🙏
سری لنکا میں خوش آمدید🙏A warm welcome to Team Pakistan 🇵🇰 as they arrive for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 💚🏏
Wishing @TheRealPCB a great tournament filled with exciting cricket. #T20WorldCup #PakistanCricket
Ayubovan ආයුබෝවන් வணக்கம்… pic.twitter.com/vCsetn4tha
— Sri Lanka Tweet 🇱🇰 (@SriLankaTweet) February 2, 2026
A February 4 warm-up against Ireland will offers vital match practice ahead of Group A battles.
Pakistan’s government on Sunday cleared its participation, but Pakistan will boycott the blockbuster February 15 India face-off, after Bangladesh’s pullout amid ICC bias claims.
Pakistan will take on the Netherlands on Feb 7, the USA (Feb 10), and Namibia on Feb 18, ramping pressure for flawless wins.
The decision underscores regional friction, forcing strategic tweaks without the arch-rival hype.
With Super 8s on the line, Pakistan eyes momentum from early victories in this expanded 20-team showdown running till March 8.
