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All eyes will be on the weather in Pallekele on Saturday as Pakistan have to beat Sri Lanka in their T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 match to have any hopes of qualifying for the semis.
Sri Lanka are set to lock horns against Pakistan in Pallekele on Saturday, in what is a must-win clash for the Men in Green in the T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 stage. England's four-wicket win over New Zealand on Friday means that Pakistan still have a slim chance to qualify for the semifinals.
From Group 2 of the Super 8 stage, only England have qualified for the semifinals. Either New Zealand or Pakistan will seal the second spot in the last four stage from Group 2. Sri Lanka, with two losses in as many matches, are already knocked out of the T20 World Cup 2026.
Pallekele weather forecast for Sri Lanka vs Pakistan match
All eyes will be on the weather in Pallekele on Saturday. There have been two washouts in the ongoing T20 World Cup so far, and both of those matches took place in Sri Lanka - a Group B match between Ireland and Zimbabwe in Pallekele and a Super 8 match between Pakistan and New Zealand in Colombo. So, how is the weather like in Pallekele for Saturday? Will rain wash out another match?
The simple answer is that, fans can expect a full-fledged match between Sri Lanka and Pakistan on Saturday as hardly any rain has been predicted in Pallekele.
According to AccuWeather.com, there is only one percent chance of rain in Pallekele on Saturday. There is no chance of thunderstorm at all. The temperatures are expected to hover between 26°C and 32°C with "hazy sunshine" being expected. In the night, the temperature is expected to dip to below 24°C, and clear skies are expected.
What England's win over New Zealand mean for Pakistan?
England's win on Friday meant that New Zealand remained in second place with three points from three games. Pakistan are in third place with one point from two matches, and need to win on Saturday to have any hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals.
Updated T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Group 2 standings
| England (Q) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | +1.096 |
| New Zealand | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | +1.390 |
| Pakistan | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -0.461 |
| Sri Lanka | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -2.800 |
For Salman Agha’s side to qualify for the semi-finals, they need to beat Sri Lanka by 65 runs if they are batting first. If they are chasing down a total, they have to do so in 12.4 overs.
Coming to Sri Lanka, the co-hosts had begun with three consecutive wins over Ireland, Oman and Australia before losing the plot. The Dasun Shanaka-led side suffered a six-wicket loss to Zimbabwe in the group stage, before failing to chase down a target of 147 against England in their Super 8 opener.
Sri Lanka were all out for 95 in 16.4 overs in that match. In their next Super 8 match against New Zealand, Sri Lanka once again failed to chase down a target, as they were restricted to 107/8.
Sri Lanka had been set a target of 169, but the top and the middle-order batters failed to step up in the run chase. Rachin Ravindra, with figures of 4/27, was the pick of the Kiwi bowlers, as they clinched a 61-run win over the Lankans. That loss confirmed Sri Lanka's exit, which means they will just play for pride on Saturday.
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