Pakistan vs Ireland HIGHLIGHTS, T20 World Cup 2026 Warm-Up Match: Pakistan’s only warm-up fixture ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 was abandoned without a ball being bowled as relentless rain washed out proceedings in Colombo on Tuesday.
The warm-up match between Pakistan and Ireland was scheduled to be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo, but persistent rainfall delayed the toss and ultimately forced match officials to call off the contest entirely.
Rain Plays Spoilsport in Colombo
Despite hopes of a shortened game, the weather showed no signs of improvement throughout the day. As a result, the toss was never conducted, and fans were left disappointed as both teams missed out on valuable match practice just days before the start of the T20 World Cup 2026.
Pakistan Miss Key Preparation Opportunity
The abandoned match was Pakistan’s only warm-up game before the tournament, making the washout a significant setback for the Men in Green. Pakistan enter the T20 World Cup on the back of a dominant series whitewash against Australia at home, and the clash against Ireland was expected to help them fine-tune combinations and assess player form.
Pakistan are set to begin their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against the Netherlands, and the lack of game time could pose challenges ahead of the tournament opener.
Political Context Adds Extra Attention
This match also marked Pakistan’s first appearance since the Pakistan government announced on February 15 that the national team would not play against India during the T20 World Cup 2026. The decision has added political and sporting intrigue to Pakistan’s World Cup journey.
No Playing XI Named
As per ICC warm-up match regulations, teams were not required to announce a fixed playing XI. All players named in the squad were eligible to bat or bowl at any stage of the match, had it taken place.
Pakistan Squad – T20 World Cup 2026 Warm-Up
- Fakhar Zaman
- Saim Ayub
- Babar Azam
- Salman Agha (Captain)
- Khawaja Nafay (Wicketkeeper)
- Shadab Khan
- Mohammad Nawaz
- Faheem Ashraf
- Shaheen Afridi
- Naseem Shah
- Abrar Ahmed
- Sahibzada Farhan
- Usman Khan
- Salman Mirza
- Usman Tariq
Ireland Squad – T20 World Cup 2026 Warm-Up
- Paul Stirling (Captain)
- Ross Adair
- Harry Tector
- Lorcan Tucker (Wicketkeeper)
- Curtis Campher
- Benjamin Calitz
- Gareth Delany
- George Dockrell
- Mark Adair
- Barry McCarthy
- Matthew Humphreys
- Tim Tector
- Joshua Little
- Benjamin White
- Craig Young
Match Summary
- Match: Pakistan vs Ireland, T20 World Cup 2026 Warm-Up
- Venue: Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo
- Result: Match abandoned
- Reason: Rain (No toss, no play)
With the warm-up washed out, Pakistan will now head straight into the T20 World Cup 2026 with limited on-field preparation, while Ireland also miss a crucial opportunity to test themselves against a top-ranked side.