England vs Pakistan 45th T20 WC Match Prediction, Betting Insights, and Who will win today’s match between ENG vs PAK?

England (ENG) take on Pakistan (PAK) in what is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated matches of the Super 8 stage. Both sides head into the 45th match of the T20 World Cup at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on 24th February 2026 with plenty at stake, and honestly, this one has all the fixings of a classic. Let’s break down expert analysis, betting tips, team performance, pitch report, and ENG vs PAK 45th T20 WC Match Prediction. Who will win today’s T20 WC match?

Team Performance

ENG Preview and Performance

England’s Super 8 campaign got off to exactly the kind of start they would have wanted. A 51-run win over Sri Lanka on a pitch that offered very little to batters was a genuine statement of intent, and you can be sure the other sides in the tournament took notice.

Getting to 147 on that surface was never going to be easy, but Salt made it look almost routine. His 62 off 40 balls had everything you want from an opener — aggression with a clear head behind it. When he and Buttler are both firing at the top, they are as destructive a partnership as there is in this format.

Pakistan’s bowlers will need to make early inroads, because if those two get going, the game can slip away from you before you’ve had a chance to settle.

Bethell has quietly been one of England’s most consistent performers in this tournament. 146 runs across five games at a strike rate of 133 doesn’t always grab the headlines, but those are seriously good numbers.

Alongside Brook in the middle overs, he gives England a foundation to build from, and with Curran and Jacks capable of finishing the job at the death, the batting line-up has real depth and balance.

The bowling against Sri Lanka was the part that should genuinely concern their remaining opponents. Seven of ten wickets taken by spin said everything about England’s reading of the conditions. Rashid looks reinvigorated — a man who thrives on the big stage, and on a surface likely to offer turn, he could cause Pakistan’s middle order real problems.

Archer was back to his best with the new ball, controlled and genuinely threatening throughout his spell of 2-20. Curran continues to keep batters guessing right to the final delivery, and Jacks will be full of confidence after picking up 3-22.

England know this ground. They know these conditions. And right now, they look like the side most likely to make the most of both.

PAKISTAN Preview and Performance

Pakistan (PAK) are coming into this game with a bit of wind in their sails. Three wins from four group games was enough to go through as runners up in Group A, and the washout against New Zealand in the Super 8 has not really disrupted their rhythm. They will see this as a great opportunity.

Sahibzada Farhan is the name everyone has been talking about, and for good reason. 220 runs in four games at a strike rate of 164 is the kind of form that wins tournaments. He gets after the bowling from the very first ball and rarely looks like getting out, which puts enormous pressure on the opposition from the start.

Ayub and Salman Agha have looked equally positive around him, and between the three of them Pakistan have a top order that is genuinely dangerous. Fakhar and Usman Khan steady things nicely in the middle, and Shadab with Nawaz can hurt you at the death if you give them even half a chance.

With the ball, spin has done almost everything for Pakistan in this competition. 26 wickets out of 33 through the spinners is a number that is hard to ignore. They bowled spin for 18 of their overs against India, and on a surface like this, England should probably expect more of the same.

Ayub gets through his overs early and tends to pick up a big wicket along the way, while Abrar, Nawaz and Shadab each bring something different and have caused problems for batters throughout the tournament.

Usman Tariq is the one England will not have prepared for. Unusual action, awkward angles, and England have simply never seen him before. He has also been tight all tournament, under six runs an over, so he is far more than just a novelty option. If there is one match up that could swing things either way, it is how both sides deal with Rashid. But Pakistan know these conditions suit them, and they will back themselves here.

Watch: ENG vs PAK 45th Match Live score

ENG vs PAK Today’s Match Weather Condition

• Temperature: 34°C high and low 19°C
• Humidity: 78%
• Rain: 25%
• Wind direction: North
• Wind speed: 7 to 11km/h

ENG vs PAK Today’s Pitch Report & Toss Condition

Pallekele offers a surface that tends to play two very different games within the same match. The power play is generally kind to batters, with decent bounce and a true surface that allows stroke play. But once the pitch settles past the ten over mark, it slows down considerably and becomes increasingly spin friendly, which is where this match could be won and lost.

England have already seen this first hand, defending 147 against Sri Lanka at this very ground with their spinners claiming seven of the ten wickets. The historical record supports batting first too, with teams doing so winning 17 out of 34 T20 Internationals here compared to 14 for chasing sides.

Winning the toss and electing to bat looks the clear preference for both captains. The side that does will look to cash in during the power play and set a total that their spinners can defend on a surface that only gets harder to bat on as the game progresses.

ENG vs PAK Today’s Match Prediction

Today’s Cricket Match Prediction: Team batting first are the favorites to win today’s 45th T20 WC 2026 match. and our expert analysis gives ENG 65% chance of winning this match.

ENG vs PAK – Probable Playing XI (T20 WC 45th Match 2026)

England Probable Playing XI:

Philip Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid.

Pakistan Probable Playing XI:

Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq.

Also, check live T20 WC match betting odds on trusted cricket betting sites.

ENG vs PAK Betting Tips – 45th Match, T20 World Cup 2026

• Who will win the toss Today: PAK to win today’s Match Toss in 45th Match T20 WC 2026.
• Top Batter Performance: Saim Ayub
• Top Bowler Performance: Usman Tariq
• Today’s T20 match betting tips: Team batting first are safe bet to play today’s T20 WC 45th Match 2026.