PAK vs USA: USA captain Monank Patel called the toss right in the much-anticipated clash of PAK vs USA in the T20 World Cup 2026 and decided to field first as his bowlers could restrict Pakistan on a good batting surface at Colombo. Pakistan managed to give a target of 191 runs to the associate nation USA and defended the score easily by 32 runs with the help of spinners Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq.
PAK vs USA: Team News and Playing XI Changes
With that, both teams had some changes to note:
Pakistan: Usman Tariq comes in place of Salman Mirza
USA: Shayan Jahangir and Ehsan Adil replaced Ali Khan and Saiteja Mukkamalla
The national anthems of USA and Pakistan in front of the start raised the atmosphere.
PAK vs USA First Innings: Pakistan’s Explosive Start
The Pakistani openers Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan got their team off to a flying start. Saim Ayub was fearless in his approach, going down the pitch and dispatching the ball to long-on for a maximum.
Farhan immediately followed suit as he smashed the boundaries with ease for Pakistan, who reached 32 runs off only 3 overs, putting immense pressure on the USA bowlers.
Early Momentum for Pakistan
- 56 runs at the end of the powerplay
- Farhan dominated the bowlers with elegant stroke play
- Ayub’s aggressive approach set the tone
PAK vs USA Middle Overs: USA Fight Back
USA saw some respite when Shadley van Schalkwyk dismissed Saim Ayub. The wickets of Ayub and Salman Ali Agha slowed down the scoring of Pakistan. After some struggles, Babar Azam settled, finding his rhythm with a six and several boundaries to change gears.
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Key Highlights
- Fifty for Sahibzada Farhan
- Babar Azam accelerated to reach 42 off 29 balls
- The USA bowlers were able to exert pressure through spin bowling.
PAK vs USA Late Surge: Shadab Khan’s Impact
Just when the pace began to taper off, Shadab Khan unleashed a scintillating cameo; 31 runs were smashed off a mere 12 balls, including back-to-back boundaries, as Pakistan launched an onslaught on a massive score. Despite the fall of Shadab, Pakistan finished well.
Pakistan Final Score
Pakistan: 190/ (20 overs)
USA required 191 runs to win the PAK vs USA encounter.
PAK vs USA Second Innings: USA Start Positively
USA started their chase well with intent. Andries Gous was looking classy in the early overs, while Shayan Jahangir was giving no freebies to keep the required rate in check. USA managed to reach 50 runs by the end of powerplay, keeping their hopes alive.
PAK vs USA Turning Point: Spinners Take Control
Pakistan’s attack, comprising the spin bowlers Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz, completely changed the pace of the match. Discipline with the ball ensured wickets were taken regularly.
Major Wickets
- Andries Gous dismissed by Nawaz
- Monank Patel tried to alleviate the pressure
- USA middle order collapsed due to the increasing required rate
PAK vs USA Final Overs: Chase Slips Away
As the required rate kept increasing beyond 14 runs an over, the boundaries for the USA became tough to come by. Although Shubham Ranjane took the attack to Shaheen Afridi to an extent, it wasn’t enough.
More to follow…..
