Pakistan is set to take on New Zealand in their first Super Eight match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at R Premadasa Stadium on Saturday, February 21. Both teams finished second in their groups and will look to start strong in the Super Eight stage to gain momentum for future matches.
Pakistan
Pakistan recorded three wins and one loss in the group stage, with their only defeat coming against India. They recently dominated Namibia, winning by 102 runs in their last match. Batting first, Pakistan scored 199 for 3, powered by Sahibzada Farhan’s maiden T20I century—a stunning unbeaten 100 off 58 balls. Shadab Khan and Salman Agha also contributed with 36 and 38 runs, respectively. Namibia struggled, getting bowled out for just 99 runs. Usman Tariq and Shadab Khan were key, taking a combined seven wickets, with Usman claiming four and Shadab three.
New Zealand
New Zealand also placed second in their group, boasting three wins and one loss, which was against South Africa. The team has been performing well collectively, with strong batting and regular wicket-taking from the bowlers. They came into this match after defeating Canada by 8 wickets, successfully chasing down 174 runs in just 15.1 overs, thanks to half-centuries from Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra.
PAK vs NZ Match Details
| PAK vs NZ T20I WC Match Details | |
| Match | Pakistan vs New Zealand 1st Super Eight Match |
| Date and Time | Saturday, February 21; 7:00 p.m. IST |
| Venue | R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo |
| Broadcasting and live streaming | TV-Star Sports Network, Live Stream-JioHotstar |
PAK vs NZ T20 WC Pitch Report
The pitch at R Premadasa Stadium has favored batting during this series, with teams consistently posting competitive scores. Early on, pacers can expect good bounce, but the surface tends to become more favorable for batting as the game progresses. The average first innings score at this venue is 172 runs, indicating a slight advantage for teams batting first.
PAK vs NZ T20 WC Weather Report
Weather conditions are expected to be cloudy and humid, with a 60% chance of rain. Since it’s an evening match, temperatures will likely be around 21-25 °C, providing a warm and pleasant environment.
PAK vs NZ Head-to-Head Records
| PAK vs NZ head-to-head (in T20s) | |
| Matches Played | 49 |
| Won by Pakistan | 24 |
| Won by New Zealand | 23 |
| Tied | 0 |
| No Result | 2 |
PAK vs NZ Probable XI
- Pakistan: Salman Agha (c), Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Usman Khan (wk), Babar Azam, Salman Mirza, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usman Tariq, Faheem Asharaf, Shaheen Shah Afridi.
- New Zealand: Rachin Ravindra, James Neesham, Tim Seifert (wk), Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Jacob Duffy, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner (c), Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Finn Allen.
Players To Watch Out For in the PAK vs NZ Match
- Sahibzada Farhan | PAK: He has shown excellent form, highlighted by his recent T20I century against Namibia. Currently, he leads the run-scorers list with 220 runs in four matches.
- Tim Seifert | NZ: He has been performing exceptionally well, scoring 173 runs in 4 matches at an impressive strike rate of 168, averaging 57.67.
PAK vs NZ Toss Prediction
Historical Toss-Winning Stats at the Venue
- In the last 5 T20I matches at this venue, teams winning the toss have opted to bowl first in 3 instances and batted first twice.
Advantages of Bowling First on This Pitch
- Of the 54 T20I matches played here, teams batting first have won 23 times, while those bowling first have won 29 times.
PAK vs NZ Today’s Match Scenario
Scenario 1
- Toss Winner: PAK (opts to bowl first)
- Power-Play Score: 40-42
- NZ Total: 180-190
- Match Winner: Pakistan
Scenario 2
- Toss Winner: New Zealand (opts to bowl first)
- Power-Play Score: 40-45
- PAK Total: 160-170
- Match Winner: New Zealand
Who will win today’s PAK vs NZ T20 World Cup match?
Both teams have strong records in T20s, but recent performances suggest that New Zealand may have the edge. Their consistent batting and effective bowling lineup put them in a favorable position, while Pakistan’s middle order and pace attack could be vulnerabilities that New Zealand might exploit.
