Pakistan enters the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium tonight facing a brutal “do-or-die” match against co-hosts Sri Lanka in the 50th match of the T20 World Cup 2026 on February 28, 2026. The match starts at 7:00 PM IST.
Sri Lanka have won the toss and have opted to field
We saw the “Men in Green” pushed to the brink after England’s recent win over New Zealand, leaving Pakistan with exactly one path to the semifinals
The equation is terrifyingly steep. Our sources confirmed that Pakistan must win by at least 64 runs if batting first, or chase any target within 13.1 overs to leapfrog New Zealand on Net Run Rate.
Can Pakistan pull off a Pallekele miracle?
Pressure is at 100%. While Sri Lanka is already eliminated from the tournament, they are playing for home pride and would love nothing more than to play spoiler against their Asian rivals.
The same pitch where England played Pakistan will be used for this clash in Pallekele
Pure desperation. We talked to camp insiders who suggest Salman Agha might bring in the explosive Fakhar Zaman to replace a struggling Babar Azam in a final bid for that required 9.150 NRR boost.
Where to Watch: TV Channels and Live Streaming
For fans looking to catch every ball of the PAK vs SL Super 8 clash, here is the comprehensive broadcast and streaming guide across countries
India: Star Sports and JioHotstar
Pakistan: PTV Sports and Geo Super – Live Stream Myco | Tamasha
Sri Lanka: Dialog TV (Official Partner), TV Supreme, and PEO TV – Live Stream – ThePapare.com | Dialog Play
UK & Ireland: Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event
USA & Canada: Willow TV
New Zealand: Sky Sport 1, 2, 3, and 4
Middle East & North Africa (MENA): CricLife Max (via StarzPlay)
The equation is simple 👇
👉 PAK will qualify only if: They beat SL by
65 runs or 7 overs to spare👉 If PAK lose: NZ will qualify
ICC Men’s #T20WorldCup 2026 👉 SUPER 8 | #SLvPAK | SAT, 28th FEB, 6 PM pic.twitter.com/Kok2yCodUj
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 28, 2026
What do the stats say for tonight?
History favors the visitors. Pakistan holds a 17-12 lead in head-to-head T20 matches, but the co-hosts are notoriously “tacky” and dangerous on this slowing Pallekele surface.
The pitch is a batter’s paradise early on.
The average first-innings score here is 171, and we saw that chasing teams have won 60% of the last ten games at this venue. One specific number to watch: Pakistan has only managed one win in their last four matches, making this “Miracle in Kandy” look even more statistically improbable.
Will the weather play a role?
Clear skies are expected. Our sources confirmed a cool 18°C forecast with zero percent chance of rain, meaning no “No Result” heartbreaks are on the cards tonight.
Total focus. Pakistan’s bowling spearhead, Shaheen Afridi, must deliver a 100% strike rate in the powerplay to keep the dream alive.
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