Norway vs France Prediction, Fantasy Team: Portugal T20I Tri-Series 2026, Match 5

The Portugal T20I Tri-Series 2026 runs from April 5-9 in Santarém, Portugal, featuring Portugal, Norway, and France in a round-robin format (each team plays each other three times — 9 league matches + 1 final).

This is the first-ever Men’s T20I series between France and Portugal, and also an important fixture in European associate cricket’s ICC ranking point accumulation.

All matches are played at the Santarém Cricket Ground in Albergaria — Portugal’s primary cricket venue for international fixtures.

Series Results — All Confirmed Matches

Match	Teams	Score	Result
M1 (Apr 5)	Norway vs France	NOR 148/9 vs FRA 138/10 (18.5 ov)	Norway won by 10 runs
M2 (Apr 5)	Portugal vs France	FRA 128/10 (19.1 ov) vs POR 129/4 (15 ov)	Portugal won by 6 wkts
M3 (Apr 6)	Portugal vs Norway	POR 190/3 (20 ov) vs NOR 178/8 (20 ov)	Portugal won by 12 runs
M4 (Apr 6)	Portugal vs France	[pending]
M5 (Apr 7)	Norway vs France	TODAY
M6 (Apr 7)	Portugal vs Norway	TODAY

Updated Points Table (Before M5 & M6)

Rank	Team	P	W	L	Pts
1	Portugal	2	2	0	4
2	Norway	1	1	0	2
3	France	2	0	2	0

Note: M4 (Portugal vs France) result will also affect standings before M5 begins. Portugal lead the tri-series after two comprehensive wins.

Norway Women’s (Men’s) Form Analysis

M1 win vs France: Norway posted 148/9 — a competitive score that France almost chased (138/10 in 18.5 overs). The 10-run margin was narrow — France were 5 wickets down at 100+ before collapsing. Norway’s bowling, particularly their quicker bowlers, ultimately made the difference.

ICC rankings context: Norway (ICC Rank: 42) are ranked higher than France (ICC Rank: 52) — a 10-place advantage that has historically proven meaningful at this standard. Norway have won 4 of their last 5 T20I matches entering this series, which is strong recent form.

Norway squad: Raza Iqbal (c), Khizer Ahmed (wk), Faisal Raza, Ahmadullah Shinwari, Qamar Mushtaque, Wahidullah Sahak, Irfan Mushtaq, Hassan Mehmood, Usman Arif, Noman Safi, Sheraz Ahmad, Shahzad Tanveer, Vinay Ravi, Muhammad Sher Sahak

Norway’s squad composition reflects the pattern of European associate cricket: the majority of players are from South Asian diaspora communities (Pakistani heritage predominating) who have settled in Norway through migration over the past 30 years. The Nordic countries have active South Asian cricket communities, particularly in Oslo, Bergen, and surrounding areas.

Norway’s key threat vs France: Faisal Raza’s death bowling and Noman Safi’s spin variations in the middle overs. Against France’s right-hand-heavy lineup, Norway’s left-arm options create unusual angles.

France Form Analysis

Back-to-back defeats — but not without fight:

M1 (vs Norway): France posted 138/10 chasing 149 — lost by 10 runs but came very close in overs 1-15. Their collapse in the final five overs was the difference
M2 (vs Portugal): France managed 128 all out (19.1 overs) — again, they struggled to build partnerships through the middle overs

France’s structural problem: Their bowling takes wickets but their batting collapses under pressure in the final 5 overs. When they have 5 wickets in hand and 30 runs needed from 5 overs, they have found ways to lose both games.

France squad: Usman Riaz (c), Jamal Ali (wk), Noman Amjad, Zain Ahmad, Pirakajan Pirabakaran, Lingeswaran Canessane, Zaheer Zahid, Rahmatullah Mangal, Usman Khan, Bilal Hassan, Iqbal Hossain, Mukhtar Ghulami, Dawood Ahmadzai, Ahmadzai Dawlatza

France’s cricket composition: Like Norway, France’s cricket community is primarily from South Asian and Afghan diaspora communities in Paris, Marseille, and Lyon. The presence of Pirakajan Pirabakaran (likely of Tamil heritage) and Lingeswaran Canessane suggests France also has a Tamil community cricket element — reflecting France’s diverse immigrant population.

Santarém Cricket Ground — Venue Analysis

Based on historical data:

Average first innings score: 151 runs — competitive for European associate T20I cricket
Teams batting first win 60% of matches here — a notable advantage to setting a target
Pace bowlers take 57% of wickets, spin 43% — relatively balanced but pace-friendly in early overs
Highest total: 189/8 by Portugal (vs Norway in a previous edition)
65% chance of rain today — this is the most significant match-day concern. If rain arrives, DLS calculations could completely change the game’s outcome.

Key Player Battles — Norway vs France

Faisal Raza (NOR, batting) vs France‘s pace bowlers: Raza scored 39 off 22 balls in M3 (vs Portugal), demonstrating his quality. Against France’s bowling attack, which gave away 178 in M3, he should score heavily if Norway bat first.

Muhammad Sher Sahak (NOR) vs French top order: In M3, Sahak scored 29/23 — playing a methodical anchor role. His partnership with Raza in the death overs was crucial in pushing NOR to 178 in M3.

Dawood Ahmadzai (FRA) vs Norway middle order: Ahmadzai appeared as a key death-bowler for France in M1 commentary. His role in restricting or breaking partnerships is France’s primary bowling weapon.