The cricket rival teams, Pakistan and New Zealand, will play in Colombo today as the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup 2026 begins.
The match will begin at 6:30pm, according to the Pakistani time standard.
Both sides arrive with three wins from their opening matches. But each also suffered a defeat against a major rival.
New Zealand lost to South Africa in Ahmedabad, while Pakistan was beaten by India in Colombo.
A place in the semi-finals will likely depend on how well teams handle this stage.
After a busy group phase featuring 20 teams, the tournament now moves into a shorter and more decisive round.
Fewer matches remain, and the path to the semi-finals is clearer.
Familiar rivals
This will be the 50th T20 international between the two sides.
Pakistan has won 24 of the previous meetings, New Zealand 23, with two matches ending without a result.
In the T20 World Cups, Pakistan holds a 5-2 advantage over New Zealand. That includes semi-final wins in 2009 and 2022.
The margins between the teams have often been small, and their contests are usually close.
Conditions in Colombo
The match will be played at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
Surfaces at the venue are often low and slow, which can favour spin bowlers.
Rain has been forecast, although the weather in Colombo can change quickly.
Results on the ground in this tournament have been mixed.
Four of the five games here have been won by teams batting first, despite earlier matches at the venue favouring chasing sides.
Pakistan team
Pakistan rested Shaheen Afridi in their previous match and moved Babar Azam down the order.
Head coach Mike Hesson suggested Babar may continue in a middle-order role rather than opening, pointing to his strike rate in the powerplay.
Pakistan appears set to continue with a spin-heavy attack, which could be effective on a turning surface.
Probable XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (captain), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Khawaja Nafay, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq.
New Zealand team
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner is expected to return after missing the last match due to illness.
Lockie Ferguson has rejoined the squad following paternity leave, but may not be risked immediately. Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi could feature, given the expected conditions.
New Zealand has been one of the stronger sides in the powerplay during this tournament, alongside South Africa.
They have also scored quickly against spin, second only to India in strike rate during this World Cup cycle.
Probable XI: Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wicketkeeper), Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (captain), James Neesham, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Ish Sodhi.
What are the teams saying?
New Zealand batter Mark Chapman said his side was aware of Pakistan’s spin threat.
“Pakistan has a number of really good spinners, and each poses their own threat,” he said. “We’re well aware of what they’ll bring.”
Pakistan coach Mike Hesson said team roles were clear, including Babar Azam’s position in the order.
“It’s what the role the team requires,” he said, adding that Babar could be valuable in the middle overs if the team faces early trouble.
With both teams evenly matched and conditions likely to test patience, the opening Super Eights fixture could set the tone for the next phase of the tournament.
