T20 World Cup 2026: Here’s why Kusal Mendis and Babar Azam won’t play today’s PAK vs SL Super 8 match

The stage is at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium for a high-stakes encounter Pakistan contract Sri Lanka in their final Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup 2026. Although Sri Lanka have already been knocked out of the race after consecutive defeats, this match is a ‘virtual quarter-final’ for the Men in Green. England’s earlier victory over New Zealand has given Pakistan a narrow lifeline. However, to steal the semi-final place from the Kiwis, Salman Agha‘s side must not only win, but must do so by a huge margin to overhaul theirs Net Run Rate (NRR).

Why Babar Azam and Kusal Mendis are not playing today’s match

Sri Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka confirmed that star wicketkeeper-batsman Where in Mendi is excluded from the collision. Mendis reportedly withdrew due to an injury, later identified as hamstring stiffness suffered during their previous outing. With Sri Lanka already out of the tournament, the team management opted not to risk their first opener and brought in Kamil Mishara as his replacement. Moreover, Janith Liyanage has replaced Dushan Hemantha to strengthen the middle order.

In a tactical move that has sparked intense debate, Pakistan captain Agha confirmed it Babar Azam is not part of the playing XI today. While no specific injury was mentioned, reports suggest that Babar has been dropped following a series of disappointing performances, having managed just 91 runs in the tournament. Standing on the sidelines with him Saim Ayub And Salman Mirza. To inject new energy into a must-win game, Pakistan has unleashed the explosive Khawaja Nafaytogether with the spearhead tempo Naseem Shah and mystery spinner Abra Ahmed.

Also READ: Sunil Gavaskar excludes India from his list of T20 World Cup 2026 trophy favorites

The road to the semi-finals: how Pakistan can qualify

The Pakistani equation is mathematically simple, but physically intimidating. To surpass New Zealand’s NRR of +1,390, they must achieve one of the following scenarios:

If Pakistan bats first: They need to win by a margin of at least 64 to 65 runs (assuming a base score of 160).

If Pakistan bowls first: Should Sri Lanka set a target (e.g. 161), Pakistan will have to chase it down in 12.4 overs or less to secure passage to the knockouts.

While Pakistan previously recorded a 102-run win against Namibia in the group stage, replicating such dominance against a wounded Sri Lankan side on a tricky Pallekele surface remains a monumental task. If they don’t reach these margins, New Zealand will officially join England as the second Group 2 semi-finalists.

Also READ: Top 5 Highest Team Totals in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup History