A couple of boundaries to end the over! Sahibzada nails this one alright. A half-tracker outside off, he set himsefl early and clubbed it emphatically. Finds the gap at deep midwicket. That's more like it from him!

PAK: 31/0 (4)

Big over for Pakistan! Saim Ayub is finally on the charge after a nervy start, finding the boundary twice in that over. Pakistan need more of that intent right now, as Namibia have done an excellent job of containing them so far.
PAK: 21/0 (3)

Leading edge, but it lands safely! JJ Smit almost had Saim there. A bit of sharp, late seam movement saw the youngster almost chip the ball to cover; luckily for him, it fell just short in the end.
PAK: 1/0 (0.3)

JJ Smit gets us underway with the new ball! Sahibzada Farhan to face the first ball. Saim Ayub is at the non-striker's end.

Former India batter Sanjay Bangar expressed his surprise over the call to replace Shaheen with Salman Mirza. He feels Naseem Shah would've been a better choice. Meanwhile, the anthems are underway. We are minutes away from the first ball.

Namibia (Playing XI): Louren Steenkamp, Jan Frylinck, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus(c), Alexander Volschenk, JJ Smit, Zane Green(w), Ruben Trumpelmann, Willem Myburgh, Bernard Scholtz, Jack Brassell

Pakistan (Playing XI): Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha(c), Babar Azam, Usman Khan(w), Khawaja Nafay, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq

Salman Ali Agha wins toss and Pakistan will bat first. Two changes for them as Shaheen and Abrar are out. Salman Mirza and Khawaja Nafay come in. Couple of changes for Namibia as well. Babar Azam, surprisingly, retains his place in the XI despite scrutiny.

- The sun is out there at SSC Cricket ground, Colombo and there are no signs of rain.
- Precipitation chances are dropped from 90% to 30% during the match hours. [BBC Weather]#PAKVSNAM #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/IRIJDz3AU3

— Callmemk (@MKmk070) February 18, 2026

Namibia, though winless in three matches so far, have shown flashes of discipline and tactical awareness. Often thriving in the underdog role, they will look to bow out with pride. If they 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 champions.

Pakistan are expected to overhaul their lineup following a widely panned performance against India. High-profile stars Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi appear certain to be relegated to the bench, with Shadab Khan's position in the side looking similarly precarious. Fakhar Zaman and Naseem Shah are likely to replace them, while Khawaja Nafay could also be recalled.

Rain and thunderstorm warnings have been issued in Colombo ahead of the match. In case of a complete washout, Pakistan would move to five points, surpassing the USA (four points) and qualifying for the Super 8s by default. However, a shortened contest could raise hopes of another T20 World Cup shock.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the T20 World Cup 2026! Pakistan face a spiritied Namibia with focus on the weather. With qualification on the line, the former champions will rely on their fragile batting to come good against the minnows.