![Pakistan team in trouble against England [Source: AFP, X]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1771842154865_PakistanteamintroubleagainstEngland.jpg?type=hq)
Pakistan team in trouble against England [Source: AFP, X]
After their opening fixture of the Super 8 was washed out by rain, Pakistan will be eager to get two points under their belt when they take on a confident-looking England side. The Three Lions entered their Super 8 match against Sri Lanka as underdogs, but the Harry-Brook-led side showed immense determination to clinch a one-sided match.
The much-anticipated battle between Pakistan and England will take place at the Pallekele Stadium, and if the Men in Green are hoping for a spin-friendly deck, their hopes could be dashed as the Jay-Shah led ICC has something else in store for them.
Surprise planned for Usman Tariq and Pakistan
What has been Pakistan’s biggest strength in the ongoing T20 World Cup? It is their brilliant spin-attack led by the mystery bowler, Usman Tariq. Their spin-attack has been almost invincible, and the opposition batters have failed to decode them. Even the Indian team, filled with hard-hitters, struggled against the likes of Tariq.
However, that all could be changed in the Pakistan vs England match on Tuesday. According to the latest pitch visuals released by CricWick correspondent Abu Bakar Tarar, ICC has laid a fresh wicket for the Super 8 match between the two sides, and that could hand England an advantage.
In the T20 World Cup 2026, Pakistan has heavily relied on their spinners to win games, but a fresh wicket could derail their plan A, and all their preparations could go in drain.
How Pakistan lack resources to play on a freshly laid wicket
The England vs Sri Lanka Super 8 match was also played at the same venue (Pallekele), and if the same strip was used for the England vs Pakistan match, the Men in Green would have had an upper hand. A used surface means spinners come into play, and Pakistan has a plethora of spin-bowling options to destroy the England batters.
However, a new wicket means it would have something for the pacers, and the ball will come onto the bat nicely for the batters.
Also Read: Babar Azam’s Pakistan Teammate Asks Why Is He Playing The T20 World Cup
The surface has a tinge of grass, and for such wickets, England has the resources to win games, but not Pakistan. They have Shaheen Afridi, Salman Mirza, and Naseem Shah as the pace-bowling options, but none of them look threatening.
On the other hand, Pakistan’s power-hitting is their weak point, and barring Sahibzada Farhan, none of the batters have the ability to take down the bowlers on a good batting strip.
Pakistan aiming to change history vs England
On Tuesday, Pakistan will step onto the field to change history as the Men in Green boast a horrendous record against the Three Lions in the T20 World Cups. The Pakistan team has never defeated England in the marquee event, and to stay alive in the tournament, they need to change history.
The two sides have faced each other thrice in the T20 World Cups, and each time, England came out victorious. In the 2009 edition, Pakistan won the tournament, but they lost against England by a huge margin of 48 runs.
In the following year, England drubbed Pakistan by 6-wickets, and their last encounter happened during the 2022 World Cup final at MCG. In a low-scoring match, Ben Stokes' heroics saved England and helped them win the title.
