Pakistan’s Path Forward
Power-hitting co-hosts remain strong favourites despite competing in the tournament’s toughest group. Sri Lanka and New Zealand also hold realistic hopes of reaching the final stage.
“It’s simple,” said Shadab Khan after Pakistan’s last group game, a one-sided encounter with Namibia. “We just have to keep doing the good things we’ve been doing. Our openers are giving us good starts in almost every match. In bowling, we have to keep hitting the right areas consistently. I think we’re on the right track.”
Pakistan have performed well overall, except in their critical high-pressure match against India where they were outclassed. Their challenge remains to eliminate the mistakes that have cost them dearly.
Key player
Spin-bowling all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz has been Pakistan’s standout bowler since his mid-2025 return, taking 48 wickets at an average of 14.6 in just five matches across 2023 and 2024. No other Pakistani player has taken more than 32 wickets in this period.
Sri Lanka’s Mixed Fortunes
Sri Lanka lost all three games in their final warm-up series against England but began the tournament they co-host by defeating Ireland, a match largely influenced by Ireland’s poor catching. However, they finished the group stage underwhelmingly, being outperformed by Zimbabwe. Key players Matheesha Pathirana and Wanindu Hasaranga have been ruled out due to leg and hamstring injuries, respectively. Despite these setbacks and a dominant win over Oman, Sri Lanka’s overall performance has been inconsistent. Nevertheless, their victory against Australia offered a glimpse of their potential.
Key player
Pathum Nissanka’s 52-ball century against Australia was a near-perfect high-pressure T20 innings and marked the fifth T20 century by a Sri Lankan. Nissanka also scored the previous century against India in September last year.
Upcoming Matches
- Sat 21 Feb: New Zealand v Pakistan, Colombo
- Sun 22 Feb: Sri Lanka v England, Kandy
- Tue 24 Feb: England v Pakistan, Kandy
- Wed 25 Feb: Sri Lanka v New Zealand, Colombo
- Fri 27 Feb: England v New Zealand, Colombo
- Sat 28 Feb: Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Kandy
England’s Batting Depth
England’s batting lineup is deep, a necessity given their group stage performances. After Jacob Bethell, the next highest scorers were Will Jacks and Sam Curran, who batted at Nos 6 and 7 respectively. England’s top four contributed 354 runs collectively, with Bethell accounting for 40% of that total. Teams scoring fewer than 400 runs have been eliminated, and England have managed only three partnerships of 50 or more runs; other teams with such low partnership counts have also been knocked out. Returning to Sri Lanka, where they previously enjoyed success, England faces a group with other underwhelming sides.
Key player
Sam Curran has scored 98 runs at an average of 32.66, ranking third among England’s run-scorers. He has taken six wickets at an average of 19.66, tying for first place on England’s wicket-taking list alongside Jofra Archer, Jamie Overton, and Adil Rashid. Curran also handles death-over bowling duties.
New Zealand’s Consistency
New Zealand have reached at least the semi-finals in three of the last four T20 World Cups and are well positioned to repeat this achievement. They are in the weaker of the two groups, which contains no first-stage group winners, and uniquely play all three Super 8 matches at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. They hold a 100% record at this venue, although their two previous matches there were in 2009 within three days. Rachin Ravindra appears to have regained form with an unbeaten half-century against Canada in their final group match.
Key player
Tim Seifert has scored nearly twice as many T20 international runs as any other New Zealander over the past two years. After starting the tournament strongly with half-centuries against Afghanistan and the UAE, he has faltered in the last two matches but is expected to return to form.
India’s Dominance and Challenges
Pre-tournament favourites India have won the joint most games, scored the most runs, and hit the most sixes, maintaining a strong position to defend their title. Abhishek Sharma has been a notable disappointment, being the world’s top-ranked T20 batter yet to score a run after three innings. However, others have stepped up with the bat, and Jasprit Bumrah leads the bowling attack, although spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been the most effective wicket-taker and currently tops the ICC rankings. India’s batting lineup includes six left-handers among the first-choice top eight, which is not ideal, and vulnerabilities against off-spin have been observed. Fielding has also been a concern, as India has dropped more catches than any other remaining team.
Key player
With Abhishek Sharma underperforming, Ishan Kishan has risen to the occasion, scoring 61 against Namibia and following it up with strong performances. Kishan did not play internationally between November 2023 and last month but now appears in excellent form.
Upcoming Matches
- Sun 22 Feb: India v South Africa, Ahmedabad
- Mon 23 Feb: Zimbabwe v West Indies, Mumbai
- Thu 26 Feb: West Indies v South Africa, Ahmedabad
- Thu 26 Feb: India v Zimbabwe, Chennai
- Sun 1 Mar: Zimbabwe v South Africa, Delhi
- Sun 1 Mar: India v West Indies, Kolkata
Zimbabwe’s Strong Seam Attack
Zimbabwe boasts the tournament’s best seam attack, with Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans taking 17 wickets between them. They lost only eight wickets during the group stage, two of which occurred in a frantic penultimate over against Sri Lanka—a remarkable feat given they played only three matches. The average Zimbabwean batter scored 54.75 runs, more than double the averages of England, India, or Pakistan. Zimbabwe’s performance has been exceptional.
Key player
Opener Brian Bennett has played three innings, scoring 175 runs at a strike rate of 125 without being dismissed. This remarkable run of form is unprecedented, and if the 22-year-old continues, Zimbabwe may cause further upsets.
West Indies’ Unbeaten Run
West Indies are one of only three teams with a 100% record in the tournament, having dominated all opponents. Captain Shai Hope commented on the team’s mindset:
“There’s a different level of enthusiasm and focus when it comes to a World Cup. This is a big tournament, this is the biggest stage. We all want to be there at the end,” says captain Shai Hope. “We know what it takes to get there. And you can see it from the outside, and I can definitely tell you from within, you can feel it. We really want it.”
Key player
While West Indies have taken more wickets than any other team, their batting has been the driving force through the group stage. One batter has scored 60 or more in every match so far. Shimron Hetmyer, man of the match against Scotland, has been particularly influential, and his continued form will keep West Indies competitive.
South Africa’s Challenge
South Africa continue to impress as world Test champions, 2024 finalists, and hosts of the upcoming ODI World Cup. They secured three straightforward group stage victories but were involved in a chaotic double-super-over tie against Afghanistan, exposing some weaknesses. Their Super 8 campaign begins against India in front of 100,000 hostile fans in Ahmedabad. How they respond will indicate their chances of improving on last tournament’s runner-up finish. They have the advantage of having played India at this venue two months ago, though they suffered a comfortable defeat then.
Key player
Kagiso Rabada struggled under pressure in the Afghanistan match, conceding a wide, two no-balls, and a poor delivery in the final over. He will need to improve his composure in high-pressure situations.
