Colombo [Sri Lanka], February 21 (ANI): The first Super 8s match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, between New Zealand and Pakistan, got abandoned without a ball being bowled due to persistent rain in Colombo. Both the New Zealand and Pakistan teams shared a point each.
While the toss for the Pakistan vs New Zealand team took place on time, at 6:30 PM IST, it started drizzling shortly after at the venue. It continued raining, and at around 9:07 PM IST, New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner and Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha shook hands as both teams received a point each.
Earlier, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and elected to bat first. He announced one change in the playing 11 for the match that eventually got abandoned. Pakistan brought in Fakhar Zaman while Khawaja Nafay missed out.
“We have one change. Fakhar is playing and Nafay is not playing. We have one pacer, Faheem Ashraf – he is a good all-rounder. So we have 2 pacers and lot of spin options. They are a quality side, we know that. We have to play our A game and that is what we look forward to today,” Salman Ali Agha said at toss.
New Zealand vs Pakistan T20 WC 2026 Super 8 match playing 11s:
New Zealand: Tim Seifert(w), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner(c), James Neesham, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha(c), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan(w), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq.
Pakistan are slated to face England in their next Super 8s match, on February 24 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Pallekele. New Zealand, on the other hand, are set to play against co-hosts Sri Lanka at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium on February 25. (ANI)
