COLOMBO: The opening Super Eights fixture of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 between Pakistan and New Zealand was called off without a single delivery being bowled after relentless rain at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Saturday.
Rain began shortly after Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat, forcing officials to keep the covers firmly in place. Despite waiting for improved conditions, the weather showed no signs of relenting throughout the evening.
Match officials conducted their first inspection at 7:40pm Pakistan Standard Time (PST), but the outfield remained unfit for play. The cut-off time for a minimum five-over-a-side contest was set at 9:46pm PST. However, with persistent showers and unsafe ground conditions, umpires eventually abandoned the match.
As a result, both teams were awarded one point each at the start of the Super Eights stage.
The washout came as a setback for both sides. Pakistan were eager to carry forward momentum after advancing from the group stage, while New Zealand were hoping to make a strong early impact in what is shaping up to be a highly competitive second phase of the tournament.
Both teams will now shift focus to their remaining Super Eights fixtures as the battle for semi-final spots intensifies.
Playing XIs
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq.
New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wicketkeeper), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (captain), Jimmy Neesham, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson.
