In a major blow to T20 World Cup 2026 excitement, heavy downpours in Colombo washed out the Super 8 opener between Pakistan and New Zealand. Not a ball could be bowled after Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha opted to bat first upon winning the toss at R Premadasa Stadium.
The Pakistani side boasted stars like Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, and wicketkeeper Usman Khan, alongside openers Sahibzada Farhan and Sam Ayub, all-rounders Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf, plus Salman Mirza and Usman Tariq. New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner-led XI included explosive opener Finn Allen, Tim Seifert behind the stumps, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, and pace duo Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, and Lockie Ferguson.
Match abandonment means a shared point apiece, keeping both sides level in Super 8 Group A. Pakistan’s next test is England on the 24th, then Sri Lanka on the 28th. The Kiwis meet Sri Lanka on the 25th and England on the 27th.
Recapping their group stage heroics, Pakistan topped with victories over Netherlands (3 wkts), USA (32 runs), a loss to India (61 runs), and a massive 102-run thrashing of Namibia. New Zealand similarly won three: Afghanistan (5 wkts), UAE (10 wkts), fell to South Africa (7 wkts), and crushed Canada (8 wkts).
Sunday brings more action with England vs Sri Lanka in Pallekele and the blockbuster India-South Africa battle in Ahmedabad. Weather gods must cooperate for cricket to triumph over the elements.