It proved to be a high-voltage first leg of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, where 20 teams competed in the group stage and 8 teams made it through. Those 8 sides will compete in two groups of four teams each. The top two sides from both groups will qualify for the semis. The opening encounter of the Super 8 league will host an encounter between New Zealand and Pakistan.
This match will be live from R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 21 (Saturday) at 7 PM IST. Pakistan haven’t traveled much, and all their games are placed in Sri Lanka. That will be a massive edge to them. They know these conditions better and can plan for them. New Zealand played all group games in India, and this will be their first game in Colombo. Can they adjust so fast, or can Pakistan prove everyone wrong and perform well against a team, which is ranked above them in T20Is?
NZ vs PAK: Match Info.
- · Series: ICC T20 World Cup 2026
- · Match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, Match 41, Super 8
- · Venue: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
- · Time: 7:00 PM IST
- · Date: February 21, 2026 (Saturday)
NZ vs PAK: Head-to-Head: NZ (23) – PAK (24)
New Zealand and Pakistan have locked horns 49 times in the shorter format until now. Pakistan are marginally ahead with 24 wins, and New Zealand have been victorious in 23 games, whereas two games have been abandoned.
NZ vs PAK: Pitch Report
The wicket at R. Premadasa Stadium has been slow, which assists the bowlers more. The wicket will have good assistance for the seamers early on, and as the ball gets old, spinners will have a big impact on the game. There will be a turn from the first few overs, and batters will find it difficult to play big shots. Playing across will be tough, and batters who can hit straight will be more effective.
NZ vs PAK: Live Streaming Details
- · TV: Star Sports Network
- · Digital: Jio Hotstar (App or Website)
NZ vs PAK: Weather Report
The weather forecast indicates up to 60 percent precipitation of rain during the scheduled time. The temperature will hover around 22°C, with a moderate wind speed of 16 kmph and 89 percent humidity.
NZ vs PAK: Last Five Results
Pakistan: W, W, W, L, W
New Zealand: L, W, W, L, W
New Zealand vs Pakistan: Predicted XIs:
New Zealand: T. Seifert (wk), F. Allen, R. Ravindra, G. Phillips, M. Chapman, D. Mitchell, M. Santner (c), J. Neesham, K. Jamieson, M. Henry, J. Duffy
Pakistan: S. Farhan, S. Ayub, S. Agha (c), B. Azam, U. Khan (wk), S. Khan, Md. Nawaz, F. Ashraf, N. Shah, S. Mirza, U. Tariq
NZ vs PAK: Players to Watch out for
Pakistan: Saim Ayub is an x-factor for Pakistan. He has been fantastic with the ball, but a big knock with the bat is due. If he can produce a good batting knock, he will be hard to stop.
New Zealand: Finn Allen has good numbers against Pakistan. He likes this bowling unit and is someone who can play like Ishan Kishan did against Pakistan.
New Zealand vs Pakistan Today’s Match Prediction: Pakistan have three out of four wins so far. But the problem with them is their combination. They are overly dependent on their all-rounders, which didn’t work against India. They need specialists with the ball and bat, which can perform under pressure.
The Super 8 stage comes with a lot of pressure. That is where Pakistan have lacked. But their good record against New Zealand in ICC events gives them a psychological edge. But Pakistan need a good combination. New Zealand have been in India for more than two months now.
There won’t be much difference in conditions, but they need to adjust quickly. India also struggled in their game, except for Ishan Kishan. But they have more options with the bat, which gives them a slight edge. But with Pakistan playing all games in Sri Lanka, they will be favorites for this game.
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