“The Picture Still Remains”
Pakistan just had a week that looked less like a cricket tournament and more like a political thriller with too many twists and turns. At one point there was a big announcement to boycott the clash with India. Next, there were the closed-door meetings, the diplomatic nudges, and finally the inevitable turn that yes, After all, Pakistan will face India in Colombo on February 15.
The noise settled. Statements were issued. The turnover has been made.
Now comes the part that Pakistan can’t write.
Because the T20 World Cup doesn’t wait for a neat finish to the off-field drama and Pakistan’s next challenge is one that brings back unpleasant memories. Next up is the USA, the very team that handed Pakistan one of its worst moments in 2024.
If India’s game is the blockbuster that everyone is buzzing about, then it’s a tricky prequel that Pakistan would rather miss. Except they can’t.
The US has built a reputation for spring surprises, and they spent the opening week of this tournament showing that fearlessness is still intact.
With India’s batting in an ominous touch, many jokingly sounded the “300-alarm” when USA’s Monank Patel took them on. Instead of being swept away, the Americans caused the biggest scare India have faced in the T20 World Cup since 2024, pushing them deep into the contest before Suryakumar Yadav’s brilliance finally caused the separation.
Meanwhile, Pakistan needed Faheem Ashraf’s late heroics slip past the netherlands a victory that was closer to relief than dominance.
And the stakes are already heavy. Defeat for the USA would leave them in a tough spot in the Super 8 race, but Pakistan are not far off the same cliff. If Salman Ali Agha’s side slip up against the Americans and then go down to India, their qualification hopes will suddenly hinge on other results, leaving them with only Namibia as their final group game.
This is what makes this competition more than just a group match. It is a test of nerves, memory and momentum.
What happened in PAK vs USA in T20 World Cup 2024?
Pakistan needs no reminding. The cricketing world has done it for them.
Two years ago in Dallas USA stunned Pakistan in 2024 FIFA T20 World Cup after taking the match to Super Over. Monank Patel anchored the chase with a calm half-century and Saurabh Netravalkar then produced the defining spell under pressure to bring Pakistan to a rather dramatic halt.
It wasn’t just defeat. It was one of those losses that sticks, the kind that prompts criticism, memes and uncomfortable questions about where Pakistan cricket is headed.
Heading into the 2026 World Cup, few can argue that Pakistan’s condition is dramatically better. Maybe marginally, but not enough to make me feel safe.
Salman Agha going into this match comes with two very different emotions. Relief that the boycott chapter is closed and pressure that another misstep could open up a whole new crisis.
How will Pakistan deal with the Babar Azam issue?
Pakistan’s biggest concern is not what the US brings. This is what Pakistan itself lacks, especially in batting pace.
In the highest order is stability, but not always speed. The top five have a combined strike rate of 133.18 against pace and 125.04 against spin. It becomes a real vulnerability on surfaces where bowlers can get squashed early.
The Netherlands almost revealed it. Pakistan were reeling before Faheem Ashraf rescued them late on, but relying on lower-order heroics is a dangerous way to survive a World Cup.
Openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan are not natural first-ball dudes. Once they fall, Pakistan often enter a confused middle phase.
And then there is Babar Azam.
His 15 off 18 balls in the chase against the Dutch raised new questions about appropriateness and role. In his last 10 T20Is before the Netherlands Test, Babar scored 282 runs at an average of 28.2, with only three scores above 50. More importantly, his method does not lend itself naturally to the explosive demands of the middle overs.
Pakistan’s back three otherwise looked composed. Saim and Farhan provide the starts while Salman Agha has thrived at No.3 with 309 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 167.02.
This leaves Babar stuck in a tight spot and comes when a quick shift is needed.
Pakistan might look at the introduction of Fakhar Zaman as a left-arm batsman, but would they really make the bold call to drop a taller figure like Babar? This dilemma lies quietly at the heart of this match.
Can the US overcome its injury crisis?
The US has its own problems, especially with injuries.
Ali Khan and Shubham Ranjane carrying fitness concerns could thin their options, but the Americans have shown enough depth to keep troubling the stronger sides.
Against India, 37-year-old Shadley van Schalkwyk struck early, cracking the top order and proving that experience remains a valuable weapon in these conditions.
The US also has diversity. Van Schalkwyk’s seam, the spin options of Mohammad Mohsin and Harmeet Singh and their sharp fielding are just the tools to frustrate the Pakistani batsmen who are still searching for rhythm.
They will confidently push India even in defeat. If they can bring that same discipline and a bit of faith to Dallas 2024, Pakistan will know they are in for another fight.
The boycott chapter is closed for Pakistan.
Now the cricket starts and the question is simple. Will they finally be able to bury the US demons or will this World Cup remind them once again of their abilities when it comes to T20Is?
PAK vs USA, T20 World Cup: Colombo Pitch Report
The pitch at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo offered a fairly even match in the T20Is, with the average score in the first innings around 147. It may look good initially, but as the match progresses, the spinners are expected to play a bigger role, making it harder to score runs.
Pakistan has already seen it first hand at this place. Against the Netherlands, their bowlers did well to restrict the opposition to 147, but the chase turned into a nervous affair, with Pakistan only in the final over.
The surface again showed its bite in Zimbabwe vs Oman where Oman were bowled out for just 103 and Zimbabwe chased down the target comfortably in 14 overs. So far, Colombo has hinted that anything above 160 could feel like a strong total.
When and where is the PAK vs USA T20 World Cup 2026 match?
The Group A T20 World Cup 2026 match between Pakistan and USA will be played on February 10 at the Sinhala Sports Club in Colombo.
Where to watch PAK vs USA, T20 World Cup 2026?
The T20 World Cup match between Pakistan and USA will be telecast live on Star Sports Network.
Where to live stream PAK vs USA T20 World Cup 2026 match?
The Pakistan vs USA Group A match will be available for fans to stream live on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website.
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– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
February 10, 2026
