ENG vs PAK Dream11 Prediction Today Match | T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8, Match 45 – Best Fantasy Cricket Tips

ENG vs PAK Dream11 Prediction Today Match
ENG vs PAK Dream11 Prediction Today Match | T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8, Match 45 – Best Fantasy Cricket Tips
🏏 T20 WORLD CUP 2026 · SUPER 8 · MATCH 45

ENG vs PAK Dream11 Prediction Today | Best Fantasy Cricket Team, C/VC Tips & Match Analysis

ENG vs PAK Dream11 Prediction · England vs Pakistan Fantasy Cricket · ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 · Captain & Vice-Captain Picks

📅 February 24, 2026 🕖 7:00 PM LOCAL / 1:30 PM GMT 📍 Pallekele, Sri Lanka
ENG vs PAK Dream11 Prediction Quick Summary: England face Pakistan in a must-watch ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 showdown at Pallekele. A win for England seals their semi-final berth; Pakistan desperately need a result after their New Zealand washout. We break down the Dream11 prediction, best C/VC picks, pitch report, and match preview — all verified with live 2026 data.
B
Battingfirst Editorial Team
Senior Sports Analyst & Fantasy Cricket Expert · Battingfirst.com
📅 Published: Feb 24, 2026  |  🔄 Last Updated: Feb 24, 2026, 7:30 AM IST  |  ⏱ 8 min read

🔥 Introduction: Why This Match Is a Fantasy Gold Mine

Our ENG vs PAK Dream11 Prediction for Match 45 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8s at Pallekele is here — and this is not just another cricket match, it is a semi-final qualifier in all but name. Harry Brook’s England arrived in Sri Lanka as joint second-favourites to lift the trophy, and they have been quietly building momentum with an aggressive batting line-up and a razor-sharp bowling unit led by Jofra Archer.

Pakistan, on the other hand, are staring at a potential early exit. After India crushed them in the group stage and rain robbed them of points against New Zealand, Salman Ali Agha’s men must win — full stop. Their survival strategy? A five-spinner assault that ripped through Sri Lanka’s batting earlier in the tournament, collecting 26 spin wickets so far. The tactical chess match between Pakistan’s spin-heavy attack and England’s spin-savvy batting unit makes this the most exciting fantasy cricket contest of the Super 8 stage.

For Dream11 players, this fixture is packed with high-ceiling options on both sides. Will Jacks has been a one-man wrecking crew (Player of the Match in 3 out of England’s 4 wins), Sahibzada Farhan is the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 220 runs, and the powerplay impact of Jofra Archer with the new ball provides guaranteed fantasy points. Let’s break it all down.

📋 Match Information

DetailInfo
MatchENG vs PAK, 45th Match, Super 8 Group 2 (Y1 v Y3)
SeriesICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
DateTuesday, February 24, 2026
Time7:00 PM LOCAL | 1:30 PM GMT | 7:00 PM IST
VenuePallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pallekele, Sri Lanka
Capacity35,000
TV Broadcast (India)Sony Sports Network / Star Sports Network
Live StreamingJioHotstar App & Website
FormatT20 International
Result ImportanceENG win = semi-final confirmed | PAK loss = near-elimination

🏟️ Pallekele Pitch Report & Fantasy Impact

ParameterDetails
Pitch NatureBalanced — batting-friendly in powerplay, slows down for spinners
Avg 1st Innings Score (T20)162–172
Spin vs PaceSpin gets more purchase after 8–10 overs; pace effective in powerplay
Boundary Clearing AbilityGood outfield; well-timed shots cross the rope easily
Dew FactorHeavy dew expected under lights — second-innings batting significantly easier
Toss AdvantageToss winner likely to bowl first to exploit dew
Death-Over NatureFlat and true — expect big death-over hitting (16–20 overs)

Fantasy Pitch Impact: This is a fresh pitch, and ESPNcricinfo expects it to play better than the one used in the England–Sri Lanka game. With dew expected in the second innings, death-over specialists like Sam Curran and Jofra Archer will be especially valuable. The flat surface rewards boundary-clearing ability, so powerful hitters like Jos Buttler, Saim Ayub, and Will Jacks are worth loading up. Pakistan’s spinners (Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed) will be lethal in the middle overs (7–15) before dew sets in. Pick your all-rounders and spinners from both ends of the innings.

🌤️ Weather Update — Pallekele, Feb 24, 2026

ParameterConditions
Temperature~20–31°C (evening cooling)
Rain Probability~25% (light showers possible but not match-threatening)
Humidity~80% — heavy dew likely post sunset
SkyPartly cloudy; mostly fine for play
WindLight winds — no significant bearing on play
Match Outcome RiskLow — full 20-over match likely on both sides
✅ Full match expected ⚠️ Dew will favour chasing team ⚠️ Humid — spinners may lose grip post-dew

📊 Team Form — Last 5 T20I Results

England (WWWLW)

#OpponentResultMargin
1Sri Lanka (Super 8)WIN ✅51 runs
2Italy (Group)WIN ✅
3Nepal (Group)WIN ✅4 runs (close)
4West Indies (Group)LOSS ❌
5Netherlands (Group)WIN ✅

Pakistan (W · Washout · W · W · L)

#OpponentResultMargin
1New Zealand (Super 8)NO RESULT 🌧️Washed out
2Namibia (Group)WIN ✅
3USA (Group)WIN ✅
4Netherlands (Group)WIN ✅
5India (Group)LOSS ❌Heavy

⚔️ Head-to-Head (H2H) Record — ENG vs PAK T20Is

StatEnglandPakistan
Total T20I Matches31
Wins21 🏆9
No Result1
T20 World Cup Meetings3 – 0 ✅0
Last 5 T20I Meetings5 – 0 ✅0
2022 T20 WC FinalEngland won by 5 wickets
Top ENG H2H PerformerJos Buttler — consistent big scorer vs PAK
Top PAK H2H PerformerBabar Azam — highest run scorer for PAK vs ENG

🏟️ Pallekele Ground Stats (T20Is)

StatFigures
Avg 1st Innings Score162–172
Chasing Win RateModerate-to-High (dew advantage)
Powerplay Avg Score~48–55 runs
Death Over (16–20) Avg~52–58 runs per innings
Spinners’ Economy Rate7.0–8.5 (later overs get tougher)
England’s Record Here4 wins in 4 matches at this venue in 2026
Safe 1st Innings Score190+ (tough to chase; 160–170 is vulnerable)

🏥 Team News & Injury Updates

TeamStatusPlayerNote
England✅ FitAll playersLikely unchanged XI from Sri Lanka win
England🔵 BenchBen Duckett, Rehan Ahmed, Josh TongueNot in expected XI
Pakistan⚠️ Return PossibleShaheen Shah AfridiWas benched vs NZ; may return vs ENG
Pakistan⚠️ Possible DropFaheem AshrafAbrar Ahmed may replace him for extra spin
Pakistan✅ FitAll othersNo fitness concerns reported in camp

🧢 Probable Playing XIs

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England XI

#PlayerRole
1Philip SaltOpener / WK
2Jos Buttler (wk)Wicket-keeper
3Jacob BethellBatter/AR
4Tom BantonBatter
5Harry Brook (c)Batter
6Sam CurranAll-rounder
7Will JacksAll-rounder
8Jamie OvertonAll-rounder
9Liam DawsonSpin bowler
10Jofra ArcherFast bowler
11Adil RashidLeg-spinner

🇵🇰 Pakistan XI (Probable)

#PlayerRole
1Sahibzada FarhanOpener
2Saim AyubOpener/AR
3Salman Agha (c)All-rounder
4Babar AzamBatter
5Usman Khan (wk)Wicket-keeper
6Khawaja NafayBatter
7Shadab KhanSpin AR
8Mohammad NawazSpin AR
9Faheem Ashraf / Abrar AhmedBowler (TBC)
10Salman MirzaPacer
11Usman TariqPacer

🔍 Key Player Analysis — E-E-A-T Insights

🏏 Top Batters

Opening Batter | ENG
Philip Salt
A powerplay impact machine, Salt provides explosive starts at Pallekele’s quick outfield. His boundary-clearing ability in the first 6 overs makes him a reliable safe pick for Dream11.
Top Order | PAK 🔥
Sahibzada Farhan
The tournament’s leading run-scorer with 220 runs and a strike rate of 150+. Farhan tops the 2025–26 T20I run-scoring chart globally with 2295 runs. A must-have differential for Grand Leagues — he’s already said Jofra Archer holds no fear for him.
Batter | ENG
Jacob Bethell
England’s leading run-scorer in this tournament with 146 runs in 5 matches. A composed, technically sound batter who thrives on slower Pallekele surfaces. Excellent Grand League differential.
Opening Batter | PAK
Saim Ayub
A high-risk, high-reward pick. Saim can explode in the powerplay and carries serious death-over-saving ability. Low ownership potential makes him a superb risky differential in Grand Leagues.

🤸 All-Rounders

All-Rounder | ENG ⭐
Will Jacks
Three Player of the Match awards in this tournament. Jacks contributes both with the bat (average of 65.50) and his off-spin in the middle overs. His ability to exploit spin-friendly conditions while batting fearlessly makes him the top Captain pick in this match.
All-Rounder | ENG
Sam Curran
A death-over specialist with the ball and a powerful striker with the bat in the lower middle order. Curran’s economy rate under pressure is among England’s best. Excellent VC option for Small Leagues.
Spin All-Rounder | PAK
Shadab Khan
With 4 wickets at 8.75 and an economy rate of 6.00, Shadab has been clinical in the middle overs. His leg-spin exploits Pakistan’s tactical substitution strategy perfectly on a pitch that grips off the surface.
Spin All-Rounder | PAK
Salman Ali Agha
Pakistan’s captain and an underrated fantasy pick. Agha contributes handy overs in the middle with off-spin and bats in a crucial top-3 position. Low ownership makes him a value grand league pick.

🎯 Bowlers

Fast Bowler | ENG ⚡
Jofra Archer
England’s premier powerplay impact bowler. Archer has claimed 11 powerplay wickets — the second-most in the tournament. His raw pace and ability to unsettle any top order makes him a top pick regardless of conditions. A genuine must-have.
Leg-Spinner | ENG
Adil Rashid
The Rashid vs Babar Azam duel will be the match-up everyone watches. Rashid’s ability to flight the ball and extract turn from the Pallekele surface makes him a valuable middle-over specialist. Safe pick with consistent returns.
Pacer | PAK
Usman Tariq
A budget-friendly death-over specialist with an economy rate that suits T20 fantasy formats. Tariq’s pace at the death adds variety to Pakistan’s spin-heavy bowling plan. Good budget pick to free up credits.
Leg-Spinner | PAK 🔄
Abrar Ahmed
If Abrar replaces Faheem Ashraf, he becomes an instant must-have. His mystery spin has troubled top-order batters globally. England’s previously exposed weakness against spin could be exploited heavily by Abrar in the middle overs — a tactical substitution that could swing the match.

📱 ENG vs PAK Dream11 Prediction Today Match XI

Both Dream11 team combinations are shown below. Team 1 (Small League): Saim Ayub (C), Will Jacks (VC). Team 2 (Grand League): Philip Salt (C), Sahibzada Farhan (VC).

🟡 ENG vs PAK Dream11 Team 1 — Saim Ayub (C) | Will Jacks (VC) | Small League
ENG vs PAK Dream11 Prediction Team 1 – Small League Best XI with Saim Ayub Captain Will Jacks Vice Captain for ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Match 45 at Pallekele | Battingfirst.com
ENG vs PAK Dream11 Prediction – Small League Best XI | ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 | Battingfirst.com
🔵 ENG vs PAK Dream11 Team 2 — P Salt (C) | S Farhan (VC) | Grand League
ENG vs PAK Dream11 Prediction Team 2 – Grand League Best XI with Philip Salt Captain Sahibzada Farhan Vice Captain for England vs Pakistan T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 at Pallekele | Battingfirst.com
ENG vs PAK Dream11 Prediction – Grand League Best XI | ICC T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 | Battingfirst.com

Screenshots from Dream11 App — ENG 7:4 PAK | Credits Left: 6

🏆 Dream11 Prediction — ENG vs PAK

⚡ EXPERT’S VERDICT — CAPTAIN & VICE-CAPTAIN PICKS

Captain (C): Will Jacks — Three Player of the Match awards tell the story. Jacks contributes with both bat and ball, and on a Pallekele surface that rewards spin in the middle overs, his off-breaks will be gold. His batting average of 65.50 this tournament seals the deal. Play him as captain in both Small and Grand Leagues.

Vice-Captain (VC): Sahibzada Farhan — The leading run-scorer of the tournament (220 runs) is in the form of his life. Farhan has played every delivery with purpose and shows zero fear against pace. Naming him VC creates a potent PAK-heavy differential that can separate your team in Grand Leagues.

🟢 Small League (Safe) Dream11 Team

ENG 7 – PAK 4 combination | Focus: Consistency + high floor picks

Jos Buttler
WK
9 Cr
ENG
P Salt
WK
8.5 Cr
ENG
Jacob Bethell
Batter
8 Cr
ENG
S Farhan
Batter
8 Cr
PAK
C
Will Jacks
All-Rounder
8.5 Cr
ENG
VC
Sam Curran
All-Rounder
9 Cr
ENG
Shadab Khan
All-Rounder
8.5 Cr
PAK
Saim Ayub
All-Rounder
9 Cr
PAK
Jofra Archer
Bowler
9 Cr
ENG
Adil Rashid
Bowler
8.5 Cr
ENG
Usman Tariq
Bowler
8 Cr
PAK

🔴 Grand League (Risky Differentials) Dream11 Team

ENG 6 – PAK 5 combination | Focus: High ceiling, low ownership picks

VC
P Salt
WK
8.5 Cr
ENG
Jos Buttler
WK
9 Cr
ENG
Jacob Bethell
Batter
8 Cr
ENG
C
S Farhan
Batter
8 Cr
PAK
Babar Azam
Batter
8 Cr
PAK
Saim Ayub
All-Rounder
9 Cr
PAK
Will Jacks
All-Rounder
8.5 Cr
ENG
Shadab Khan
All-Rounder
8.5 Cr
PAK
Jofra Archer
Bowler
9 Cr
ENG
Adil Rashid
Bowler
8.5 Cr
ENG
Usman Tariq
Bowler
8 Cr
PAK

📌 Player Categories Quick Reference

CategoryPlayers
✅ Must-Have (Safe)Will Jacks, Jofra Archer, Sahibzada Farhan, Sam Curran, Philip Salt
🔴 Risky (High Ceiling)Saim Ayub, Babar Azam, Abrar Ahmed (if playing), Jacob Bethell
🎯 Top C/VCC: Will Jacks | VC: Sam Curran / S Farhan
💰 Budget PicksUsman Tariq (8 Cr), Liam Dawson (if included), Salman Mirza

🔮 Match Prediction — ENG vs PAK

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 ENG 62%
PAK 38% 🇵🇰
England FavouritesPakistan Underdogs

Strength Comparison: England’s biggest edge is their familiarity with Pallekele — four wins in four matches at this venue in 2026. Harry Brook’s squad has four spin options, blended with the express pace of Jofra Archer and Jamie Overton’s hit-the-deck-hard style, giving them a perfectly balanced attack for these conditions. Their batters have also shown resilience after early setbacks, and Will Jacks is operating at superhero level right now.

Pakistan’s trump card is their five-spinner arsenal. Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Saim Ayub, and Usman Tariq together provide varied, high-quality spin options that have taken 26 wickets in the tournament. England have already lost 21 wickets to spin in this World Cup, showing a potential vulnerability. If Sahibzada Farhan continues his extraordinary form and Pakistan’s spinners find purchase on the Pallekele surface before dew arrives, an upset is absolutely within reach.

Final Prediction: England win by 15–25 runs or 4–5 wickets. Their depth, venue knowledge, and the psychological weight of never having lost to Pakistan in T20 World Cups tips the balance. However, back Pakistan’s spinners to put up a genuine fight.

🌟 Final Balanced Dream11 Team — ENG vs PAK

RolePlayerTeamCreditsC/VC
WKJos ButtlerENG9 Cr
WKPhilip SaltENG8.5 Cr
BATJacob BethellENG8 Cr
BATSahibzada FarhanPAK8 CrVC
ARWill JacksENG8.5 Cr✅ C
ARSam CurranENG9 Cr
ARShadab KhanPAK8.5 Cr
ARSaim AyubPAK9 Cr
BWLJofra ArcherENG9 Cr
BWLAdil RashidENG8.5 Cr
BWLUsman TariqPAK8 Cr
ENG 7 : PAK 4 Total Credits Used: ~94.5 Cr ✅ Captain: Will Jacks ✅ VC: Sahibzada Farhan

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Who will win the ENG vs PAK T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 match?
England are the favourites with a win probability of approximately 62%. They hold a 21-9 all-time T20I advantage over Pakistan and have won all three previous T20 World Cup meetings. Their familiarity with Pallekele (4 wins from 4 at this venue in 2026) gives them a real home-away-from-home edge. However, Pakistan’s five-spinner arsenal and the in-form Sahibzada Farhan make them a dangerous upset candidate.
Q2. Who are the best Dream11 picks for ENG vs PAK today?
The best picks are Will Jacks (3x Player of the Match this tournament), Jofra Archer (powerplay specialist, 11 powerplay wickets), Sahibzada Farhan (tournament’s leading run-scorer, 220 runs), and Sam Curran (death-over specialist). These four cover all skill categories and are must-haves across team combinations.
Q3. Who should be Captain and Vice-Captain in ENG vs PAK Dream11?
Captain: Will Jacks — three Player of the Match awards in four England wins this tournament, contributes with both off-spin and attacking batting. Vice-Captain: Sam Curran (for Small Leagues — safer floor) or Sahibzada Farhan (for Grand Leagues — high ceiling, lower ownership). Avoid Jos Buttler as C/VC despite his reputation — he’s averaging under 15 this tournament.
Q4. What is the Pallekele pitch report for ENG vs PAK?
Pallekele offers a balanced surface that starts as a good batting wicket with the outfield allowing easy boundary clearance in the powerplay, but slows down to help spinners in the middle overs. Average first innings scores range between 162–172. Heavy dew under lights gives the chasing team a significant advantage, which means the toss winner will likely bowl first. A first innings score of 190+ is considered safe to defend.
Q5. What is the current form of England and Pakistan ahead of this Super 8 clash?
England are in excellent form — WWWLW in their last five T20Is, with a dominant 51-run win over Sri Lanka in their Super 8 opener. Will Jacks has been outstanding and the bowling unit is firing on all cylinders. Pakistan’s form is mixed: they lost heavily to India in the group stage, but beat Netherlands, USA, and Namibia comfortably. Their Super 8 opener against New Zealand was washed out, leaving them without a completed result in the Super 8s.
Q6. What is an alternative Dream11 team for ENG vs PAK Grand Leagues?
Alternative Grand League Team: P Salt (C), S Farhan (VC), J Bethell, Babar Azam, S Ayub, S Curran, S Khan (Shadab), W Jacks, J Archer, U Tariq, Abrar Ahmed (if playing). This team increases the PAK ratio to 5:6 and banks on Farhan’s form + Pakistan’s spinning up a storm. It’s a high-risk, high-reward team that can separate you from the pack if Pakistan’s spinners fire early.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Fantasy cricket involves financial risk. This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Please play responsibly. This prediction is based on publicly available match data, player form, and tactical analysis. Playing XIs are subject to change — always verify after the toss. Dream11 is legal only in select states/regions — check your local laws before participating.
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