Farhan’s Gritty Fifty and Shadab’s Late Burst Lift Pakistan to 164 Against England

Pallekele, Feb 2026 : A composed half-century from Sahibzada Farhan and a spirited late cameo by Shadab Khan powered Pakistan to a competitive 164 for 9 in their 20 overs against England in a Group 2 Super Eights clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Pakistan endured a nervy start on a surface that offered assistance to bowlers who hit the deck hard and mixed their pace. The powerplay quickly turned uncomfortable for the Asian side as early wickets pegged them back. Saim Ayub, still searching for form in the tournament, struggled to settle against sustained short-pitched bowling. England’s spearhead Jofra Archer kept things tight before removing Ayub for a run-a-ball seven, exposing Pakistan’s middle order early.

The pressure intensified in the third over when captain Salman Ali Agha fell cheaply for five. Left-arm spinner Liam Dawson, operating with accuracy and subtle changes of pace, struck in his very first over to put England firmly on top. Despite the double setback, Pakistan steadied themselves to reach 46 for 2, largely through the calm presence of Farhan, who found the boundary with assurance, and Babar Azam, who showed early intent with a couple of crisp strokes through the off side.

As the innings progressed, England tightened the screws through spin. The introduction of Adil Rashid alongside Dawson proved decisive in the middle overs. Bowling disciplined lines and extracting just enough grip from the pitch, the duo slowed Pakistan’s scoring rate significantly. The batters found it difficult to pierce the field, managing only 19 runs across the four overs leading to the halfway mark. The lack of momentum built pressure, forcing Pakistan into a cautious approach when acceleration was needed.

That pressure eventually told on Babar. Realising the need to break free after a sedate middle phase, he attempted to take on Jamie Overton. However, the hard-length delivery skidded on, sneaking past the inside edge to clip the top of off stump. Babar’s dismissal ended a 46-run stand that consumed 44 balls, with the former captain scoring a restrained 25 from 24 deliveries—an innings that promised more but never quite took off.

The tempo finally lifted when Fakhar Zaman injected urgency. He skipped down the track to Will Jacks and launched him straight back over his head for a towering six. Farhan followed suit in the same over, unleashing a massive 100-metre blow over midwicket as Pakistan collected 16 runs from the 14th over. Having struck a century in his previous outing, Farhan once again showcased his form with a gritty fifty off 37 balls, blending patience with timely aggression. His knock eventually ended on 63 from 45 deliveries when Overton returned to have him caught, but not before Farhan had laid a solid platform.

England responded with sharp fielding at a crucial juncture. Fakhar, attempting to force the pace against Rashid, misread consecutive googlies. The second took a thick top edge and ballooned towards the leg side, where Dawson sprinted in from short fine leg to complete a superb tumbling catch, shifting momentum back England’s way.

Lower down the order, Usman Khan briefly threatened to accelerate. He capitalised on a misfield to open his account and then slog-swept confidently over midwicket for six. Dawson, however, maintained his composure on his return spell, first conceding a boundary off another misfield and then striking twice in quick succession—removing Usman and Mohammad Nawaz—to finish with impressive figures of 3 for 24.

Shadab Khan provided a late flourish, swinging freely for his 23 off just 11 balls and ensuring Pakistan crossed the 160 mark. Yet the innings unraveled at the death, with Pakistan losing their final four wickets for just 32 runs, preventing them from posting an even more imposing total.

At the end of a closely contested batting effort, Pakistan’s 164 for 9 looked competitive but not overwhelming, leaving England with a clear target on a pitch that continued to offer something for both pace and spin.

Brief scores:
Pakistan 164/9 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 63, Fakhar Zaman 25; Liam Dawson 3-24, Jamie Overton 2-26) vs England.