Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat first against New Zealand in the T20 World Cup Super Eight stage. The match is being played at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday. This is the first meeting between the two sides in the Super Eight phase of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha decided to set a target after winning the toss. The decision reflects confidence in the batting unit. The team will aim to post a competitive total on the Colombo surface.
Playing XI
Pakistan fielded Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub as openers. Salman Ali Agha leads the side. Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman strengthen the top order. Shadab Khan adds balance as an all-rounder. Usman Khan is the wicketkeeper. Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf support the bowling attack. Salman Mirza and Usman Tariq complete the lineup.
New Zealand named Tim Seifert as wicketkeeper. Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra open the batting. Glenn Phillips and Mark Chapman provide middle-order strength. Daryl Mitchell adds experience. Mitchell Santner leads the team. Jimmy Neesham offers all-round skills. Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, and Lockie Ferguson form the bowling unit.
Head-to-Head Record
Pakistan and New Zealand have met 49 times in T20 Internationals. Pakistan have won 24 matches. New Zealand have secured 23 victories. Two matches ended without a result.
In the T20 World Cup, Pakistan hold a stronger record. The teams have met seven times in the tournament. Pakistan have won five of those matches. New Zealand have won two.
Their last meeting in a T20 World Cup came in the 2022 semi-final. Pakistan won that match by seven wickets. New Zealand’s last tournament win over Pakistan was in 2016. They won that game by 22 runs.
Form Guide
Both teams entered this T20 World Cup clash with similar momentum. Pakistan finished second in their group. They won three of their four matches. Their recent form reads: W, L, W, W, W.
New Zealand also finished second in their group. They won three out of four matches. Their recent results are: W, L, W, W, L.
In other news read more about: ICC Reveals Match Officials for Super 8 Stage of T20 World Cup
With strong records and balanced squads, this T20 World Cup encounter promises a competitive contest between two experienced sides.
