KANDY: Pakistan are poised to ring in sweeping changes in the Playing XI for their decisive Super Eight fixture against Sri Lanka in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 on Saturday at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
With their semi-final hopes hanging by a thread, the team management is expected to reshuffle the playing XI in a bid to engineer the massive victory required to stay alive in the tournament.
Fast bowler Mohammad Salman Mirza is likely to make way for spinner Abrar Ahmed, who has not featured since the group-stage matches against the Netherlands, USA and India.
Young batter Khawaja Nafay is also tipped to return for the high-stakes encounter and could replace all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz in the XI.
There is further speculation that senior batter Babar Azam may be rested, while pace all-rounder Faheem Ashraf is in contention for inclusion.
While Sri Lanka have already been knocked out of the competition, Pakistan enter the contest under immense pressure.
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The Green Shirts sit third in Super Eight Group 2 with just one point from two matches and a net run rate (NRR) of -0.461.
To qualify for the semi-finals, Pakistan must not only beat Sri Lanka but do so convincingly.
With New Zealand holding a superior NRR of 1.390, Pakistan need a win by roughly 65 runs or chase down a target within 13 overs to leapfrog the Black Caps.
England’s recent victory over New Zealand has kept Pakistan’s campaign alive, but their fate now rests entirely in their own hands.
Anything short of the required margin will see New Zealand join England in progressing to the semi-finals from Group 2.
Pakistan’s likely playing XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha (c), Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq.
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