Pakistan play their first T20 World Cup match against Netherlands on Saturday but admit they need to perfect the group stage.
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Published February 6, 2026
Captain Salman Ali Agha has warned that the Pakistan team needs to bring its “A game” to the 2026 T20 World Cup if it is to qualify for the finals after losing the group match against India.
The competition has been overshadowed by the difficult political climate, with Bangladesh being replaced by Scotland and Pakistan refusing to play co-hosts India in Group A.
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Not only will Pakistan lose two points due to the forfeiture, but their net run rate will also take a huge hit, leaving little room for error.
Even one game canceled due to bad weather could complicate the path to the next round.
Pakistan begins their match against the Netherlands in Sri Lanka on Saturday, and will also face Namibia and the United States.
“We need to be cautious and bring our best game,” Agha told reporters on Friday, admitting that Pakistan had limited experience in the Netherlands and “don’t know a lot” of their own players.
“We’re going to open up all of our spin options because we feel like we’re vulnerable to quality spin,” he said.
The 2009 champions will rely heavily on the explosive opening pair of Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub, with Agha set to finish third.
Former captain Babar Azam was unable to improve his form and finished in fourth place.
“Babar continues to go into extra innings in his game. He is a key player in these situations and can change the game in a few overs. We are relying on him a lot,” Agha said.
Pakistan are on a roll with a 3-0 win against Australia at home.
The team plans to seek advice from the government if it advances to the finals to face arch-rival India.
Co-host Sri Lanka on Thursday asked Pakistan to reconsider its boycott of the match against India, which was scheduled to be played in Colombo on February 15.
