SL vs PAK Match Prediction : 50th Match, Super 8, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2026

The stakes are entirely different for the two teams as they clash in this final Super 8 fixture at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Saturday. Pakistan is fighting for survival, knowing they must win to have any hope of reaching the semifinals. Conversely, Sri Lanka has already been knocked out, but playing for pride in front of a passionate home crowd makes them an incredibly dangerous proposition.

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Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Head-to-Head Record

Sri Lanka has consistently enjoyed the upper hand against Pakistan in recent T20I head-to-head contests. Out of their last 11 meetings in this format, the Sri Lankans have emerged victorious seven times, while Pakistan has managed just four wins.

Sri Lanka vs Pakistan Live-streaming and Broadcast

Country	TV Channel	Live Streaming
India	Star Sports Network	Disney+ Hotstar App
Pakistan	PTV Sports, Ten Sports	Myco App, Tamasha App
Australia	—	Amazon Prime Video
England (UK)	Sky Sports (Cricket/Main Event)	SkyGO, NOW, Sky Sports App
USA & Canada	Willow TV	Willow by Cricbuzz App
West Indies	ESPN Caribbean	ESPN Play Caribbean
South Africa	SuperSport	SuperSport App
New Zealand	Sky Sport NZ	Sky Sport Now, Sky Go
Sri Lanka	Maharaja TV (TV1, Sirasa, Shakti)	ICC.tv / Maharaja TV Website
Bangladesh	Nagorik TV	Toffee
UAE & MENA	CricLife MAX	StarzPlay, StarzON

You can find live odds, updated tips after every day's play, and more information about this match at ocbsports.com.

SL vs PAK Team Previews

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka was officially knocked out of the tournament following a defeat to New Zealand on Wednesday. However, this is their final match of the World Cup, and playing at home in Pallekele, they are desperate to exit the tournament with their heads held high.

While their batting relies heavily on the opening partnership, Sri Lanka remains a highly dangerous side because their bowling attack has been quite good throughout the tournament. Maheesh Theekshana leads the line brilliantly, taking 11 wickets so far. He will control the middle overs alongside the talented Dunith Wellalage and Dushan Hemantha.

With the new ball, Dushmatha Chameera has been economical and will look for early breakthroughs with the support of Dilshan Madushanka.

The batting, admittedly, is somewhat dependent on Pathum Nissanka. He and Kusal Mendis are the team's top run-scorers and must provide a solid foundation. The middle order has been the undeniable weakness; experienced campaigners like Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka, and captain Dasun Shanaka have vastly underperformed.

However, against a fractured, high-pressure Pakistani bowling attack, this experienced middle order has the perfect opportunity to finally fire.

Sri Lanka Expected Playing 11

Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Charith Asalanka, Pavan Rathnayake, Kamindu Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmatha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Dasun Shanaka (c), Maheesh Theekshana.

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Pakistan

Pakistan’s World Cup campaign is on life support. Following a washed-out opening match, they suffered a heartbreaking and heavily criticized defeat against England on Tuesday. The team is now on the brink of elimination; even a victory here does not guarantee a semifinal berth.

The atmosphere within the Pakistani camp is reportedly incredibly tense. The team is under tremendous pressure after a string of poor performances, and it is widely understood that the jobs of both the coach and the captain are on the line if they crash out.

A major talking point is the disastrous form of Babar Azam. The former captain has looked entirely out of sorts, struggling with his strike rate and failing to convert starts. There is a strong possibility that Babar Azam may be dropped from the playing XI for this crucial fixture.

While Sahibzada Farhan has been magnificent at the top of the order—slamming his third 50+ score against England—he is fighting a lone battle. Established names like Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, and captain Salman Agha have completely failed to deliver. Furthermore, all-rounders Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz look bereft of confidence.

With the bat failing consistently, unbearable pressure has fallen on the bowlers. Usman Tariq has been their best weapon, claiming 10 wickets, but questionable captaincy has often misused his overs. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Salman Mirza have shown flashes of brilliance, but Afridi, in particular, has been alarmingly expensive at the death.

Pakistan Expected Playing 11

Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman (wk), Salman Agha (c), Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Tariq, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah

SL vs PAK Toss Prediction

In four of the last five matches played at Pallekele, the captain winning the toss has opted to field first. Given the threat of evening dew, which makes gripping the ball difficult for spinners in the second innings, we fully expect the toss-winner to bowl first and chase the target under the lights.

Pitch Report and Weather Conditions

Historically, the pitch at Pallekele is excellent for batting. However, as the tournament has progressed, the surface has noticeably slowed down and tired. The average first-innings score over the last three matches here has plummeted to around 140.

In the previous match, the pitch offered significant early assistance to the quicker bowlers, with the ball jagging around under the lights. Once the ball softens, the slower surface heavily brings the spinners into the contest.

Chasing is generally preferred here due to the heavy evening dew, which makes batting much easier in the second half of the game.

SL vs PAK : Who Will Win?

Pakistan is a team in absolute turmoil. The dressing room is plagued by immense pressure, poor form from key players like Babar Azam, and the very real threat of management sackings. It is a team short of confidence and second guessing itself.

Conversely, Sri Lanka now has nothing to lose. They are at home, they have a bowling attack perfectly suited to the slowing Pallekele surface, and they have historically dominated Pakistan in this format. It is absolutely worth the risk to back them.

Bet on Sri Lanka to win.