Key points
- No rain expected at Pallekele
- Humid evening conditions likely
- Previous Pakistan match washed out
KANDY: Clear conditions are forecast for Pakistan’s Super Eights meeting with England in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, with no rain expected at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
Latest weather updates suggest largely clear skies around the 7:00pm start, with temperatures hovering near 27°C and a RealFeel of 28°C. While rain is not anticipated, humidity levels remain elevated at 68%, creating sticky conditions. The dew point stands at 20°C, signalling considerable moisture in the air.
Light north-westerly winds of around 6 km/h, with gusts reaching 13 km/h, are expected to offer limited respite. Cloud cover is minimal at 14%, visibility is strong at 16 kilometres, and the cloud ceiling sits at approximately 9,100 metres. Evening conditions are expected to remain dry despite concerns over poor air quality, which may trouble those with respiratory issues.
Fusion Formula
The positive forecast follows Saturday’s washout between Pakistan and New Zealand in Colombo, where steady rain forced officials to abandon the contest after more than two-and-a-half hours of delay. Pakistan had won the toss and opted to bat before the match was called off, with both sides taking one point.
Under tournament rules, the top two teams from each Super Eights group will progress to the semi-finals on March 4 and 5.
In line with the event’s “Fusion Formula”, Pakistan are scheduled to play all matches in Sri Lanka. Should they reach the last four, the first semi-final would be staged at the R. Premadasa Stadium; otherwise, it would shift to Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The venue for the March 8 final will likewise depend on Pakistan’s qualification.
Squads
Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk) and Usman Tariq.
England: Harry Brook (c), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tongue and Luke Wood.
