Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, 46th Match, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Super Eights Group 2. This high-stakes clash unfolds on February 25, 2026, at 7:00 PM local time in Colombo (9:30 PM IST), at the iconic R. Premadasa Stadium.
Sri Lanka face a do-or-die scenario in the Super Eights, where a loss to New Zealand would eliminate them from semi-final contention, especially after their strong group stage push including a stunning chase against Australia led by Pathum Nissanka’s century. New Zealand, rested after a washout against Pakistan, aim to disrupt the hosts’ party and build momentum in Group 2 alongside England and Pakistan. Both teams bring explosive T20 firepower, but the pressure cooker atmosphere at Premadasa could swing fortunes dramatically.
The R. Premadasa pitch offers a balanced track—flat early for batsmen with consistent bounce, but it slows and grips later, turning into a spinner’s delight under lights as the black-soil surface deteriorates. Pacers find little seam movement in day-night games here, favoring teams with mystery spinners like Maheesh Theekshana or Mitchell Santner. Weather looks dicey with patchy rain nearby, temperatures around 31°C dropping to 24°C feels-like, high 75% humidity, and light winds—brief showers possible but unlikely to fully wash out play.
SL vs NZ Match Details
- Match: Sri Lanka vs New Zealand, 46th Match
- Teams: SL vs NZ
- Date: 25 Feb 2026
- Time: 6:30 PM 1:30 PM GMT / 7:00 PM LOCAL
- Venue: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
T20 World 2026 Live Streaming Info
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 kicks off on February 7, 2026, and wraps up with the final on March 8, 2026. Hosted across India and Sri Lanka with 20 teams, it spans about a month—group stages from early February, Super 8s mid-month, semis late February/early March, and the final in Colombo or Mumbai.
- In India, tune into Star Sports Network (Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2) or stream on Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema.
- Pakistan viewers can watch on PTV Sports, A Sports, or Ten Sports, with streaming available on Tapmad and Tamasha.
- For Sri Lanka, options include SLRC, Channel Eye, and Siyatha TV on TV, plus Sri Lanka Cricket YouTube and Dialog ViU online.
- UK fans have Sky Sports Cricket, TNT Sports 1, and talkSPORT on television, alongside Sky Go, Discovery+, and NOW TV for streaming.
- In South Africa, SuperSport covers it on TV and via their app.
- Australia might check Fox Sports for TV and Kayo Sports for live streams.
- USA and Canada: Willow TV on TV, Sling TV or Willow HD app for streaming.
- New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ on TV and Sky Go app.
- Bangladesh: Gazi TV (GTV) and Rabith BD app.
- Afghanistan: RTA Sport and Ariana TV.
Rest of the world: ICC.tv for free streaming where no local rights holder exists. Subscriptions often apply, and VPNs can assist with geo-blocks where permitted.
How to Watch the Match for Free:
Catch every boundary without paying via these official free options, perfect for fans in Pakistan and beyond.
Pakistan: PTV Sports broadcasts all matches live for free on TV via terrestrial, cable, and satellite—no subscription needed.
Live Streaming Info:
The 45th T20 World Cup match will be live on Willow Cricket.
Live Score Info:
Head-to-Head Record
In 28 T20Is, New Zealand lead Sri Lanka 16-11, with one no-result, showcasing the Kiwis’ edge in this format. On Sri Lankan soil, it’s tighter at 5-3 for NZ, including recent Premadasa thrillers. Last five meetings: NZ won by 5 runs (Dambulla, Nov 2024), SL by 4 wkts (Dambulla, Nov 2024), NZ by 4 wkts (Queenstown, Apr 2023), NZ by 9 wkts (Dunedin, Apr 2023), and a tie (Auckland, Apr 2023)—NZ dominating lately with four wins in five.
New Zealand top the Super Eights run-rate charts at 10.37 runs per over across four games, boasting the highest average per wicket at 50.64, though their bowling lags with just 14 scalps. Fully fit after rest, they’ve shown batting depth despite the Pakistan no-result. Sri Lanka sit fifth in strike rate at 8.92 but lead in wickets with 30 from five matches, fueled by home wins like the Australia upset.
New Zealand Analysis
Strengths lie in explosive openers and allrounders—Finn Allen’s aggression pairs with Rachin Ravindra’s spin-allround savvy, while Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips provide middle-order muscle. Weaknesses? Bowling depth, bottom of wickets taken, relying heavily on Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson up top, with Santner key in spin-friendly Colombo. Recent form shines: unbeaten streak in recent T20Is against SL, high scoring rates signal momentum despite modest wickets.
Probable XI: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (capt), Jimmy Neesham, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson.
Sri Lanka Analysis
Home advantage and spin attack are huge strengths—Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage thrive on Premadasa turn, backed by Pathum Nissanka’s form (2645 T20 runs) and Dasun Shanaka’s finishing. Top-order fragility and batting inconsistencies remain weaknesses, though their wicket-haul prowess (30 in Super Eights) impresses. Momentum from Australia thrashing shows resilience, but they must counter NZ’s batting blitz at home.
Probable XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Pavan Rathnayake, Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, Dushan Hemantha, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka.
Key Talking Points
Watch for spin battles: Santner vs Nissanka, Theekshana vs Allen on a slowing pitch. NZ’s superior head-to-head and run-rate give them psychological edge, but SL’s home wickets and desperation fuel upset potential. Allrounders like Mitchell, Shanaka, and Neesham could tip tight chases, while weather adds unpredictability.
New Zealand’s batting firepower (10.37 RPO) and H2H dominance (16-11) edge them on a balanced Premadasa deck, especially rested and against a must-win SL. Expect Kiwis to chase successfully: New Zealand by 8-12 runs or 4-6 wickets.