Pakistan are set to face Namibia in a crucial 2026 T20 World Cup Group A match at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo on Wednesday.
However, that match faces the prospect of being washed out due to rain. According to AccuWeather.com, there is a 67% chance of rain in Colombo on Wednesday.
Thunderstorms predicted in Colombo ahead of Pakistan vs Namibia match
The match is scheduled to begin at 3 PM IST, which is now less than two hours away. The forecast predicts that the weather will be “cloudy with a couple of thundery showers this afternoon”. There is a 40% chance of thunderstorms, and the weather forecast predicts 4.7 mm of rainfall on Wednesday.
As per the hourly weather forecast, AccuWeather predicts a 60% chance of rain at 2 PM, but that reduces to 49% at 3 PM and further down to 24% at 4 PM. For the rest of the evening, there is less than 25% chance of rainfall in Colombo.
| Time | Chance of rain |
|---|---|
| 2 pm | 60 % |
| 3 pm | 49% |
| 4 pm | 24% |
| 5 pm | 24% |
| 6 pm | 23% |
| 7 pm | 20% |
| 8 pm | 20% |
| 9 pm | 20% |
| 10 pm | 20% |
Pakistan face a must-win situation against Namibia on Wednesday. The Men in Green, led by Salman Ali Agha, are currently in third place with four points from three matches.
While they defeated the Netherlands and the United States of America (USA), Pakistan suffered a 61-run loss to India in their latest Group A match in Colombo.
The USA are in second place with four points from as many matches. But at the moment, the Monank Patel-led side have a superior Net Run Rate (NRR) compared to Pakistan.
What will happen if Pakistan vs Namibia match gets washed out?
Should the Pakistan vs Namibia match in Colombo be washed out due to rain, Pakistan will qualify for the Super Eight stage along with India. That will take Pakistan’s points tally to five from four matches, and will eventually push the USA down to third place with four points.
However, Pakistan cannot afford to lose their match against Namibia, as a defeat would draw curtains on their 2026 T20 World Cup campaign. Should that happen, it will be the second consecutive T20 World Cup in which Pakistan have been knocked out in the group stage.
Pakistan, under Babar Azam’s captaincy, were knocked out of the group stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies. Pakistan had finished third in their group two years ago, with four points from as many matches. The USA, who had beaten Pakistan, advanced to the Super Eight after finishing in second place with five points.
