COLOMBO: The Pakistan national cricket team has officially arrived in Sri Lanka as preparations intensify for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which is set to get underway on February 7. The squad landed in Colombo on Monday after departing from Lahore, marking the start of their on-ground campaign for the global tournament.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed the team’s arrival through an update shared on social media platform X. According to the board, the players will observe a brief rest period before shifting focus to competitive preparations.
“The national squad reached Colombo from Lahore. The team will rest tomorrow and will play a warm-up fixture against Ireland on February 4,” the PCB stated in its official post.
Pakistan have traveled with a 15-member squad led by captain Salman Ali Agha, who will be aiming to guide the former champions through a challenging tournament. The squad features several high-profile names, including former captain Babar Azam, pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, and experienced opener Fakhar Zaman, all expected to play crucial roles in the campaign.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be jointly hosted by Sri Lanka and India, with matches spread across multiple venues in both countries. Pakistan will play their initial phase of matches in Colombo, where conditions are expected to test both batters and bowlers.
As part of their build-up, Pakistan will face Ireland in a warm-up match on February 4 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, a venue that will also host their opening group-stage fixtures. The practice match is seen as an important opportunity for the team management to finalize combinations and assess player form ahead of the tournament opener.
Pakistan will begin their World Cup journey against the Netherlands on February 7, followed by a group match against the United States on February 10, both scheduled at the same Colombo venue. Their third group-stage encounter will be against Namibia on February 18, rounding off their initial set of fixtures.
While the focus remains on on-field preparations, Pakistan’s World Cup campaign continues to draw attention due to developments surrounding their scheduled match against India. The highly anticipated clash, set for February 15, has been clouded by political circumstances.
According to official sources, Pakistan will boycott the group-stage match against India after receiving directives from the Government of Pakistan. The decision has added a significant off-field dimension to the tournament and remains one of the most discussed topics ahead of the competition.
Despite the controversy, the Pakistan team appears focused on delivering a strong performance and reclaiming past glory. Having won the T20 World Cup in 2009, the Green Shirts will be eager to make a deep run in the tournament and reaffirm their status as one of the strongest sides in the shortest format.
Pakistan T20 World Cup Squad
Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafay (WK), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (WK), and Usman Tariq.
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