Pakistan face Namibia in must-win clash after India drubbing

After a crushing 61-run defeat against their arch-rivals India, Pakistan is set to face Namibia on Wednesday in a must-win group stage game if they are to ensure their Super-Eight spot at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

After winning their two successive matches against the Netherlands and the USA, the green shirts yet again succumbed to their neighbors, suffering their seventh defeat against them in the 20-over competition out of eight games.

Moreover, the defeat also exposed the loopholes and fault lines for the Salman Agha-led side, whether it’s the timid captaincy, the inability of our batters, or the senior bowlers.

Placed in Group A, the Men in Green currently occupy third place with four points from three matches.

The USA, having completed all their group games, sit second with four points and a superior run rate, having won two and lost two matches, making the upcoming clash on February 18 against Namibia a must-win for Pakistan.

Time to drop Babar and Shaheen?

After the loss against India, there have been questions over whether Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, and Shaheen Afridi fit into the playing XI after their poor performances.

Shaheen, being his team’s bowling spearhead, went for 30 runs in just two overs against the Men In Blue, while in three matches so far, he has taken just three wickets.

Whereas Babar, after a well-crafted 46 against the USA, showed a glimmer of hope to the fans before the blockbuster clash, but got out in a disastrous fashion.

The star batter managed just five runs, getting clean bowled to spinner Axar Patel while attempting a blind-hit, leaving his team wobbling at 34-4 while chasing 176.

On the other hand, all-rounder Shadab Khan hasn’t risen to the occasion, despite getting the comeback opportunity in the team. In three matches, he has just managed 52 runs with the bat and two wickets with the ball.

Expected XI

Pakistan are poised to ring the changes for their final group-stage encounter at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Colombo.

Meanwhile, there is a possibility that Babar might be replaced by left-hander Fakhar Zaman, who has yet to feature in the ongoing tournament. Additionally, the name of young Khawaja Nafay is also being considered for selection.

In the bowling department, Shaheen might be replaced with Naseem Shah, while Salman Mirza, who played in the first match against the Netherlands and took three wickets, can also get the chance.

Pitch and conditions

Meanwhile, the green shirts will again trudge back to the same venue where they played their first two matches of the T20 World Cup 2026 – the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Colombo.

In terms of the nature of the pitch, it will suit Pakistan's ploy of going with a spin-dominated bowling line-up. The pitch usually has an average score of around 150-160; Pakistan managed to score 190 against the USA. Although the surface will be slow and will turn, it will offer value for shots with shorter boundaries.