🏏ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026:M12: USA vs Pak, Colombo 🏏 - Page 2

Thank you, Soni for the thread and for tagging me.

Best wishes to the USA. If Pakistan tries to win, they will have to face a tariff of ...% (any percentage of tariff, depending on the mood!)

An unpredictable Pakistan will look to exorcise the ghosts of the past when they meet a determined USA in Colombo, 20 months after being handed an infamous defeat by the same opponents. During their World Cup debut in 2024, the USA announced their arrival on the big stage with a memorable victory over the 2009 champions. Having lost to India in their 2026 opener, the USA will be extra motivated for an encore against Pakistan. However, both teams have their work cut out on the batting front. Pakistan, meanwhile, arrive having narrowly edged out the Netherlands in their tournament-opener. Star batter Babar Azam's place in the team has come under heavy scrutiny, with fans and experts demanding his ouster from the playing XI

Will Pakistan take the tough call?

Following their narrow win over the Netherlands, calls have been made to drop star batter Babar Azam from the playing XI for their important clash against the USA. Babar made a scratchy 15 off 18 in his side's first-up three-wicket win over the Netherlands. Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali suggested that Babar is not fit enough to play T20Is.

Thanks for the tag Soni!

May the best team win.

Cheers..

The rise of Pakistan’s sling-arm surprise, Usman Tariq

The inspiration to give cricket another shot arrived for Pakistan’s new spin sensation, Usman Tariq, while watching MS Dhoni: The Untold Story. To be precise, it was the scene where Sushant Singh Rajput, who portrayed Dhoni in the film, takes the train from Kharagpur, abandoning a monotonous job — the moment that sparked Usman’s resolve.

The connection is understandable. If being a TTE didn’t allow Dhoni to focus on cricket, for Usman, working in an automobile factory handling logistics and procurement meant much the same. In the coming days, Usman would pack his bags and head to Karachi, and nearly 10 years later would feature in his maiden T20 World Cup — just three months after making his debut for Pakistan.

Injury concerns for USA

After impressing against India in their tournament opener at Wankhede, the USA side have endured injury concerns, as three of their players — Ali Khan, Shubman Ranjane, and Jasdeep Singh — are already out of the tournament due to injury.

Pakistan agreeing to play India saves ICC $174 million

The Pakistan government going back on its decision of instructing its team to boycott the game against India on February 15 in Colombo prevented a $174 million revenue loss for the International Cricket Council (ICC), sources said. “The cumulative loss would have been around $174 million dollars, including those related to broadcasters, gate money, and other sponsorships,” a source stated. (READ MORE)

Group A matches so far

Match 1 – 7 February 2026
Netherlands v Pakistan
Result: Pakistan won by 3 wickets
Venue: SSC Cricket Ground, Colombo

Match 3 – 7 February 2026
India v United States
Result: India won by 29 runs
Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Match 10 – 10 February 2026
Namibia v Netherlands
Result: Netherlands won by 7 wickets
Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

Hello, folks! Who wants to partaaaaay? After the Ding-Dong in Dallas, Pakistan and USA are ready to square off again for the Rumble in Colombo. Even the Donald is paying attention. Pakistan survived a close call against the Dutch, while USA couldn't drive home their early advantage against India - but this game nevertheless has all the ingredients needed for an upset. And it's not like the pressure has been lifted on Pakistan, despite the threat of forfeiting points from their own game against India evaporating. So get comfy, take a gander at the SSC's swanky new floodlight pylons, and steel yourself for the madness to come...

The USA, meanwhile, arrive with confidence despite starting as underdogs. They pushed India hard in their first outing and will take plenty from that performance. There is, however, a concern over the fitness of key seamer Ali Khan. They could also hand a debut to former Pakistan player Ehsan Adil, who has been drafted in as an injury replacement. Pakistan’s bowling looked sharp on this grassy Colombo surface, but their batting will need a quick fix. For the USA, belief and execution will be key. With little margin for error for either side, this promises to be a fascinating contest. Toss and teams coming up..