Pakistan and New Zealand shared points after their opening Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup 2026 was washed out due to rain at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday, 21 February. Pakistan, in hindsight, were the luckier of the two sides, as many believed they had committed a blunder at the toss by opting to bat on a cloudy evening at the iconic venue.
Shortly after the toss, steady rain arrived and continued unabated, leading to the abandonment of the match two hours and 10 minutes after the scheduled start of play. Not a single over was bowled as persistent drizzle fell over the R Premadasa Stadium, leaving players and fans waiting in vain.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said New Zealand would have held the advantage had any play been possible, even in a curtailed contest. He pointed out that the team batting second typically enjoys an edge in rain-affected matches, particularly when targets are recalculated using the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern (DLS) method.
WHAT WAS THE BLUNDER?
Pundits and fans expressed surprise when Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and chose to bat first, despite the overcast conditions and looming threat of rain.
“If there is a little bit of play, then the team batting second always has the advantage. They have 10 wickets in hand, they would know what target they have and at what rate they need to go,” Gavaskar told JioStar.
“For New Zealand, with the kind of opening batters they have, it’s a real plus. In a chase situation, it suits the New Zealand opening batters. To be honest, I was surprised when I heard Pakistan opting to bat at the toss. We knew there was a bit of rain in Colombo and therefore it was surprising that, after winning the toss, they chose to bat first,” he added.
Pakistan and New Zealand progressed to the Super 8 stage after finishing second in their respective groups. Pakistan’s only defeat in the group stage came against India, while New Zealand’s sole setback was against South Africa.
Pakistan will now hope for clearer skies when they face England in Pallekele on Tuesday. New Zealand, meanwhile, are scheduled to take on Sri Lanka in Colombo on Wednesday.
Incidentally, rain is also forecast for Sunday’s afternoon fixture between England and Sri Lanka in Pallekele, raising further concerns about weather disruptions.
Group 2, which features Pakistan, New Zealand, England and Sri Lanka, will be keeping a close eye on the weather, with all their Super 8 fixtures scheduled to be played in Sri Lanka.
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