Incessant rain washes out New Zealand-Pakistan clash

ICC Men's T20 World Cup, 2026

The Super Eights stage of the T20 World Cup 2026 began on a sodden note in Colombo as the Pakistan-New Zealand fixture was abandoned without a ball bowled, forcing the sides to share a point each.

Rain swept across the R. Premadasa Stadium just as the toss was taking place and never truly eased. After winning the toss, Pakistan's Salman Agha opted to bat, but the drizzle soon turned steady and persistent. At 21:07 local time, match referee Richie Richardson officially called off the contest.

The single point apiece leaves the group finely poised, though the implications for semifinal qualification will only become clear as the stage unfolds. Pakistan next travel to Pallekele to face England on Tuesday (February 24), while New Zealand remain in Colombo to take on co-hosts Sri Lanka a day later.