T20 World Cup 2026: Pakistan faces must-win test against Namibia to seal Super 8 berth

With its back against the wall, former champion Pakistan will hope its fragile batting comes good after the jolt against India and seal a Super 8 spot when it faces a struggling Namibia in its final league fixture, in Colombo on Wednesday.

In Group A, title favourite India has already sealed its Super 8s berth after its 61-run win over Pakistan the other day. The second spot is now up for grabs, with the United States having its nose ahead of Pakistan.

Both teams have four points each, but Pakistan is behind on Net Run Rate (NRR)—Pakistan has a negative NRR of -0.403, while the USA is comfortably placed at 0.788.

Pakistan’s equation is simple: win against the winless Namibia and make the cut, as any slip-up could leave it relying on other permutations and combinations.

The spotlight will firmly be on its fragile batting—including stalwart Babar Azam, openers Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub and skipper Salman Ali Agha—which was exposed in its defeat to India in Colombo.

Azam has been under pressure, especially after his seven-ball five against India, with calls for his exclusion growing louder.

After being reduced to 13 for three by India’s pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, Pakistan’s middle order offered no resistance—a worrying sign even against a side like Namibia.

Frequent middle-order shuffles have created a muddle, putting late-order acceleration in doubt.

Pace spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi also struggled, claiming just one wicket while conceding over 31 runs in his two overs. The only bright spot was Ayub, who had India’s top order in a spot of bother with his three-wicket haul.

Namibia, though winless in three matches so far, have shown flashes of discipline and tactical awareness.

The smart tactics of its skipper, Gerhard Erasmus, paid dividends against India when the experienced offspinner foxed Tilak Varma during his splendid four-for-20 spell.

Namibia, often thriving in the underdog role, will look to bow out with pride. If it can drag Pakistan into a low-scoring contest, nerves could once again come into play in what has become a crucial fixture for the 2009 champion.

Left-arm pacer JJ Smuts is also a constant thorn for batsmen, while Namibia has the firepower to pull off an upset.

Opening batter Louren Steenkamp has delivered two encouraging knocks, including a half-century, in the previous games, while Jan Nicolaas Frylinck and Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton have added much-needed stability to Namibia’s top order.

Published on Feb 17, 2026