Pakistan's Sahibzada Farhan warns Jofra Archer (Source: AFP)
Sahibzada Farhan has been Pakistan's greatest return particularly in this T20 World Cup 2026. The star opener, who came in headlines after making a documentary for hitting sixes off Jasprit Bumrah in the 2025 Asia Cup, has now challenged England's Jofra Archer ahead of Tuesday's Super 8 fixture at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele.
Sahibzada Farhan called England's prime bowler "Not that big a deal" while talking to the media on Monday in the pre-game press conference. He further mentioned that Pakistan, too, have bowlers who can click over 140 kilometres per hour (87 miles/h).
Sahibzada Farhan goes cocky over Jofra Archer
"No, it's not a big deal to face Jofra Archer. We have already faced him in Pakistan. We have good bowlers; they also bowl at 145. So it's not a big deal. Yes, as you said, they will definitely have planned it, but I have also planned it. It's not that only he will have plans. So, we will see. It will be a good match," Sahibzada Farhan stated while disagreeing with the English speedster being a threat to Pakistan.
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It is worth mentioning that Farhan has been this T20 World Cup's leading run-getter with 220 runs in four outings at a strike rate close to 165. Moreover, the right-hander batter slammed an unbeaten century - his first international ton - in his last outing, versus Namibia in Colombo.
On the other hand, Archer has been England's joint-highest wicket-taker with 8 scalps in five matches, and was simply unbreakable against Sri Lanka when they defended 146 runs on last Sunday.
Rain threw water on Pakistan's SF dream
After finishing second in Group A, Pakistan qualified for the Super 8s Group 2, along with England, New Zealand and the co-hosts, Sri Lanka. However, their Super 8 campaign began tragically after the fixture against the Blackcaps was abandoned due to rain.
With that, Pakistan are with one point after a game played, meaning a defeat in either of their remaining matches will bring them into the corridor of permutations and combinations.
Meanwhile, England had a shaky time during the Group stages, but they qualified by beating Nepal and Italy by some margins. However, they turned the tables around by beating Sri Lanka in Kandy by 51 runs, where Archer and Will Jacks starred the show.
Sahibzada Farhan heading for Mt. Virat Kohli
Despite the rain-spoiled fixture, Farhan finds himself in a position where he can break the legendary Virat Kohli's record of 319 runs - the most scored by a batter in a single edition of a T20 World Cup. With 220 runs, the Pakistan opener is 99 runs behind the legendary batter's tally, which he may break with two games certainly to come.
For Pakistan, Babar Azam (303 runs) holds the record for most runs in a T20 World Cup, which he slammed during the 2021 season held in the UAE.
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