Pakistan's T20 World Cup 2026 Preparations Hit by Rain in Sri Lanka

Pakistan’s preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 have suffered a double blow as persistent tropical rain continues to lash the Sri Lankan capital. On 4 February, the national side's only official warm-up fixture against Ireland was abandoned without a ball being bowled, and the latest meteorological reports suggest that more inclement weather is likely for their tournament opener on Saturday.Pakistan vs Ireland T20 World Cup 2026 Warm-up Match Abandoned Due to Rain. The wash-out at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) on 4 February has left the Salman Ali Agha-led squad without any match practice on local soil. With the tournament scheduled to begin in just three days, the focus has shifted from tactical fine-tuning to the increasingly precarious weather outlook for the weekend. The primary concern now lies with the weather forecast for Saturday, 7 February, when Pakistan is due to face the Netherlands at the same venue. Meteorologists are predicting a "perfect storm" of conditions that could severely curtail or wash out the Group A fixture.Copy-Paste? Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 Jersey Manufacturer Accused of Downloading Free Images to Design New Kit. Precipitation Probability:64% to 70% chance of rain during the scheduled match window. Condition:Scattered thunderstorms are expected, particularly in the early afternoon. Humidity:Levels are forecast to reach 79%, increasing the likelihood of heavy, sudden downpours. Temperature:A high of 29°C is expected, creating the heat-humidity mix that often triggers tropical storms in the region. With the match scheduled for an 11:00 AM IST (11:00 AM local) start, the high 70% chance of daytime thunderstorms suggests that the toss and the first innings are at the greatest risk of delay or interruption. The weather threat is particularly acute for Pakistan due to the unique political circumstances of their campaign. Having confirmed a boycott of their 15 February match against India, Pakistan will receive zero points and a significant Net Run Rate (NRR) penalty for that fixture. This decision has transformed their three remaining matches, against the Netherlands, USA, and Namibia, into mandatory wins. A washout on Saturday would result in both Pakistan and the Netherlands receiving one point each. In a group where India is almost certain to qualify, such a result would leave Pakistan needing to win their final two games by massive margins while hoping for other results to go their way. The SSC Ground staff are famously efficient at manual water removal, often outperforming mechanical super-soppers. However, the ground has faced criticism recently; during the 2025 Women’s World Cup, 5 out of 11 matches in Colombo were abandoned due to the sheer intensity of the monsoon-like rains. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 04, 2026 06:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our websitelatestly.com).