Pakistan team lands in Sri Lanka for T20 World Cup

Published February 2, 2026
The Pakistan cricket team departs for Sri Lanka on February 2. — Screengrab from video via X/@TheRealPCBMedia
The Pakistan cricket team departs for Sri Lanka on February 2. — Screengrab from video via X/@TheRealPCBMedia

The Pakistan cricket team on Monday arrived in Sri Lanka for the T20 World Cup, which is set to begin on February 7.

In a post on X, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that a 15-player squad had arrived in the country.

“The 15-player national squad includes Captain Salman Ali Agha, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Naeef, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan, and Usman Tariq,” the PCB said in an earlier post, the informed of the squad’s department for the global event’s venue.

In the latest update about the aquad’s arrival in Colombo, the board said the team would rest on Monday and Tuesday.

“The team will play a warm-up match against Ireland on Feb 4,” PCB added.

The T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is set to begin on Feb 7.

On Sunday, the government gave the go-ahead for Pakistan’s participation in the tournament, but barred it from playing against arch-rival India on February 15.

The announcement came amid uncertainty regarding a possible boycott of the tournament over Bangladesh’s withdrawal following tensions with India.

A government source told Dawn that Pakistan had refused to play against India to express solidarity with Bangladesh. According to the government source, the primary reason for boycotting the match with India was the ICC’s “biased decision” towards Bangladesh.

Opinion

Editorial

Truce tested
Updated 28 Jun, 2026

Truce tested

The latest US-Iran exchange should therefore be treated not as proof that dialogue has failed, but as a warning of how easily it could.
Paper promises
28 Jun, 2026

Paper promises

WHAT is a UNSC resolution worth if it is never implemented? Pakistan and China felt compelled to convene an informal...
Still the masters
28 Jun, 2026

Still the masters

CRISTIANO Ronaldo and Lionel Messi do not seem to be going away quietly. At least, not yet. The duo might have left...
After the budget
Updated 26 Jun, 2026

After the budget

Though not a bad document per se, the budget for FY27 is a familiar one, and familiarity in our economic history is rarely cause for comfort.
Missing the mark
Updated 27 Jun, 2026

Missing the mark

Pakistan cannot rely on international partners to compensate for weak governance and inconsistent implementation at home.
Up in smoke
26 Jun, 2026

Up in smoke

PAKISTAN is watching an epidemic unfold as the menace of narcotic abuse hits every fourth household in Karachi ...