New Zealand faces Pakistan in a crucial Super 8 clash at the T20 World Cup 2026. This 41st match could shape semifinal hopes for both sides.
The game is the 41st T20I, Super Eights Group 2, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. It starts February 21, 2026, at 7:00 PM local time (7:30 PM IST) at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Pitch and Weather
R. Premadasa Stadium’s pitch is balanced, flat early but slowing for spinners later with grip and variable bounce. Pacers get little help under lights, favoring subcontinental spinners in T20s. Expect cloudy, humid conditions with 60% rain chance, temperatures 21-25°C—warm evening play but possible interruptions.
Both teams eye semifinal spots in Group 2. New Zealand sits strong after three group wins and one loss, chasing top-two finish. Pakistan scraped Super 8s with momentum, leaning on spinners in Colombo conditions for an edge over Kiwi batsmen.
New Zealand looks solid, capping group stage with an eight-wicket chase against Canada—Glenn Phillips (76*) and Rachin Ravindra (59*) steering 174 in 17.3 overs despite Yuvraj Samra’s 110. They lost only to South Africa, balancing top-order starts with sharp bowling. Pakistan gained steam, thrashing Namibia by 102 runs—Sahibzada Farhan’s unbeaten 100 (58 balls) and Shadab Khan’s 36* set 250+, backed by Usman Tariq and Shadab’s wickets.
Pakistan’s spin-heavy attack suits Premadasa, pressuring New Zealand’s middle order. Kiwis boast explosive batting but face Pakistan’s top-order revival with Farhan and Salman Ali Agha. Recent bilateral T20s show New Zealand dominating (4-1 series win last year), yet Pakistan thrives in World Cups here.
PAK vs NZ Match Details
- Match: Pakistan vs New Zealand, 41st Match
- Teams: PAK vs NZ
- Date: 21 Feb 2026
- Time: 06:30 PM
- Venue: R. Premadasa Stadium’s
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 41st T20 World Cup match will be live on Willow Cricket.
Live Score Info:
Probable XI:
Pakistan Probable XI: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha (C), Khawaja Nafay, Shadab Khan, Babar Azam, Usman Khan (WK), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq.
New Zealand Probable XI: Tim Seifert (WK), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (C), James Neesham, Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy.
Head-to-Head
In T20Is, New Zealand leads with 60% win rate historically, though exact totals hover around 20-25 matches per side (NZ ~13 wins, Pak ~11, 1 tie). Last five: New Zealand won four straight in 2025 series (including 8-wicket final romp), Pakistan one prior—NZ won by 115 runs in one.
New Zealand Analysis
Strengths: Deep batting with Finn Allen’s power, Rachin Ravindra’s all-round flair, Glenn Phillips’ consistency; bowling mixes pace (Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson) and spin (Mitchell Santner).
Weaknesses: Middle-order collapse risk on turning tracks; one Super 8 loss exposed spin vulnerability.
Key Players: Phillips (form half-centuries), Santner (captain, wickets), Ferguson (death overs). Recent: Chased big totals effortlessly.
Pakistan Analysis
Strengths: Spin trio (Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza) exploits Premadasa grip; top-order fireworks from Farhan (century vs Namibia).
Weaknesses: Inconsistent middle order beyond Babar Azam; pace relies on conditions.
Key Players: Sahibzada Farhan (explosive opener), Salman Ali Agha (captain, steady), Shadab (all-round impact). Recent: Big win sealed Super 8s, spinners starring.
Pakistan holds a slight edge (55-45) thanks to spin suiting Colombo and home-like conditions, plus Farhan’s form. New Zealand’s balance could chase anything under 180, but rain might tilt towards bowling first. Expect Pakistan to win a tight one by 10-15 runs if batting second