Final result
England won by 2 wickets
Player of the match: HC Brook
Result · T20 Internationals
Pakistan Cricket vs England
Result · T20 Internationals
Venue par · 130Chase success · 77%POTM · HC Brook
Match preview & overview
England edge Pakistan by 2 wickets in nervy Pallekele T20I chase
England Cricket beat Pakistan Cricket by 2 wickets in a T20 International at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy, Sri Lanka, on 24 February 2026. Pakistan won the toss, batted first, and posted 164/9. England's reply reached 166/8, with Harry Brook named Player of the Match. The finish was closer than the margin suggests: England lost wickets consistently throughout the chase and required 42 runs from the death phase with three wickets falling along the way. Pakistan were competitive for large portions of the match and will feel their death-overs collapse, 6 wickets for 52 runs, cost them a result they could have won.
Pakistan's innings told a familiar story of promise not fully converted. Their powerplay produced 46 runs for 2 wickets, a reasonable start, and the middle overs were the best phase: 66 runs and just 1 wicket between overs 7 and 15. The final five overs produced 52 runs but at the cost of 6 wickets, dragging the total below what the mid-innings position merited. England's chase was similarly uneven. A brisk powerplay of 53/3 gave them runs but at a cost, and the middle overs, 71 for 2, steadied things before Brook and the lower order saw them over the line.
Pitch report & venue insights
Cricket Stadium, Sector-16 — 13-match sample
Aggregate conditions from 2019. Numbers that tend to decide matches at this ground — par score, chase success, powerplay averages and toss bias.
13
T20 matches hosted
130
Avg 1st-innings score
119
Avg 2nd-innings score
77%
Chase success rate
36
Avg powerplay runs
46%
Toss-field rate
Key talking points
Moments the match hinged on
Headline angle
England scraped home chasing 165
Pakistan posted 164/9 after winning the toss and electing to bat. England reached the target at 166/8, losing wickets at regular intervals throughout the chase. It was tight enough to go down to the wire despite England managing 53 runs in the powerplay.
Angle 02
Pakistan's death overs cost them the match
Angle 03
England's middle overs steadied the chase
Angle 04
Brook took home the Player of the Match award
Angle 05
Pallekele chasing conditions slightly favoured England
Key players
Players who decided it
Betting & analytical angles
Angles the data surfaced
- Player of the Match markets may be worth tracking in close T20I contests like this one, where a single innings or spell can be decisive in a 2-wicket finish.
- Pallekele's average first-innings score across 106 T20 matches is 208 runs, so a total of 164/9 was below par. Venue par-score markets can diverge meaningfully from outright result lines at grounds with strong historical data.
- With a chase success rate of 51% at Pallekele, toss-result correlation markets are unlikely to offer strong edges here. The ground is close to neutral for batting and fielding first.
- Top batter markets in matches involving these sides have historically varied with conditions rather than reputation. England's middle-order depth and Pakistan's spin options can both shift which batter has the most favourable role on the day.
For editorial context only. Not a forecast and not betting advice. 18+ only, please gamble responsibly.
Frequently asked
Questions about Pakistan Cricket vs England
What was the result of the Pakistan vs England T20I at Pallekele on 24 February 2026?
England Cricket won by 2 wickets. Pakistan posted 164/9 batting first after winning the toss, and England reached the target at 166/8. Harry Brook was named Player of the Match.
Who won the toss in the Pakistan vs England T20I at Pallekele?
Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat. They posted 164/9, but a collapse of 6 wickets in the death overs limited what had been a promising total.
Where can I watch Pakistan vs England T20I cricket in the UK?
T20 internationals involving England are typically broadcast on Sky Sports Cricket in the UK, with streaming available via Sky Go and NOW TV. Check the official broadcast schedule for confirmed coverage of this series.
What is the head-to-head record between Pakistan and England in T20Is?
England lead the all-time head-to-head 64 wins to 31, from 104 completed matches, with 8 no results. Pakistan won two of the last five meetings in 2024, both convincingly, before England won the next three in a row.
What are the batting and bowling conditions like at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium?
Across 106 T20 matches at Pallekele, the average first-innings score is 208 and the average second-innings score is 182. The ground has a chase success rate of 51%, making it broadly neutral. Average powerplay runs sit at 42, and death overs typically yield around 31 runs.
Who was Player of the Match in the Pakistan vs England T20I on 24 February 2026?
Harry Brook of England was named Player of the Match. His contribution to the chase proved decisive in what was a tight 2-wicket win for England.