Pakistan vs Namibia T20 WC 2026 Preview: Toss Time, Playing 11, Live Streaming Details

The final Super 8 qualification spot in the ICC T20 World Cup will be decided when Pakistan national cricket team face Namibia national cricket team in Match 35 at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo.

A victory for Pakistan will confirm their progression to the Super 8 stage. Meanwhile, a Namibia win would indirectly help the USA secure their second Super 8 finish in T20 World Cups.

Match Details: Pakistan vs Namibia

Date

Wednesday, February 18

Venue

Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo

Toss Time

2.30 pm IST

First Ball

3 pm IST

Pakistan Team News

Pakistan enter this must-win contest under pressure after their defeat to India exposed significant batting vulnerabilities. Captain Salman Ali Agha will look to senior batter Babar Azam and openers Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub to deliver stability following repeated powerplay collapses.

Key Concerns

• Fragile top order

• Inconsistent middle order combinations

• Shaheen Shah Afridi’s lack of rhythm

Despite his experience, Shaheen Shah Afridi has struggled for consistency. However, Saim Ayub’s three-wicket performance against India provided a positive takeaway.

Pakistan are unlikely to make major changes but may adjust their batting order to ensure better balance.

Namibia Team News

Namibia are already out of contention but will aim to finish strongly. Captain Gerhard Erasmus remains a key figure, particularly with his off-spin variations that troubled India’s middle order earlier in the tournament.

Players to Watch

• JJ Smit – Left-arm pacer offering control in the powerplay

• Jan Frylinck – All-round capability

• Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton – Aggressive top-order option

Namibia are expected to stick with a similar XI and focus on exploiting Pakistan’s early batting struggles to create scoreboard pressure.

Pakistan vs Namibia: Probable Playing 11

Pakistan (Probable XI)

Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha (c), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (w), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed

Namibia (Probable XI)

Jan Frylinck, Louren Steenkamp, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus (c), JJ Smit, Zane Green (w), Dylan Leicher, Ruben Trumpelmann, Willem Myburgh, Bernard Scholtz, Max Heingo

Head-to-Head in T20Is

• Total matches: 1

• Pakistan won: 1

• Namibia won: 0

• No result: 0

Pakistan hold a 100% win record in T20Is against Namibia.

Full Squads

Pakistan Squad

Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq

Namibia Squad

Louren Steenkamp, Jan Frylinck, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus (c), JJ Smit, Zane Green (w), Malan Kruger, Ruben Trumpelmann, Bernard Scholtz, Ben Shikongo, Max Heingo, Dylan Leicher, Jack Brassell, Jan Balt, Willem Myburgh

Live Telecast & Streaming Details (India)

Where to Watch Live Telecast?

The live telecast of the Pakistan vs Namibia match will be available on the Star Sports Network in India.

Where to Watch Live Streaming?

The live streaming will be available on the JioHotstar app and website in India.

What’s at Stake?

For Pakistan, qualification to the Super 8 round depends entirely on this result. A defeat would end their campaign prematurely.

Namibia, though eliminated, can play the role of spoiler. A disciplined bowling effort and tight fielding could turn this into a low-scoring contest — something that may expose Pakistan’s current batting instability.

Conclusion

With a Super 8 berth hanging in the balance, Pakistan face immense pressure in Match 35 of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. While they boast superior head-to-head numbers and squad depth, recent batting inconsistencies make this encounter far from straightforward.

Namibia, free from qualification pressure, could challenge Pakistan tactically. The contest at Colombo promises high stakes, intensity, and potential twists as the group stage nears its conclusion.