Colombo: A scheduled practice session ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eight match against 2009 champions Pakistan against New Zealand was canceled here on Friday due to rain.
According to details, the Green Shirts are holding a scheduled training session at the R Premadasa Stadium here to sharpen their preparations for the crucial phase of the 20-team tournament where they will face New Zealand on Saturday.
The upcoming match against New Zealand is crucial in the Green Shirts qualifier for the semi-finals on March 4 and 5.
Pakistan and New Zealand enter the tournament with similar momentum in their favour, as they both won three of their four matches to finish second in their respective groups.
The two teams have met seven times in T20 World Cups, with Pakistan dominating the reverse with five wins.
Their last meeting in the tournament came in the semi-finals of the 2022 edition, which the Green Shirts won by seven wickets.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s last win against Pakistan comes from the 2016 edition where they won by 22 runs.
Following the New Zealand challenge, Pakistan will face two-time champions England in Kandy on February 24, while their remaining Super Eight matches are scheduled on February 28 against co-hosts Sri Lanka.
groups
Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (catch), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faqar Zaman, Khawaja Mohammad Nafe (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shaheen KhanAbri U Tariq.
New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (catch), Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Daryl Mitchell, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert and co.