Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 World Cup Highlights: Points shared as rain plays spoilsport, match abandoned

PAK vs NZ T20 World Cup Live Score: Just as the coin goes up, the rain comes down. Visible drizzle as Salman Ali Agha opts to bat first. One change for Pakistan, and a handful for New Zealand.

Hopefully this little shower is just a passing one.

PAK vs NZ T20 World Cup Live Score: The good news is that the teams are warming up on the pitch with the rain staying away at the moment. A couple of minutes from the toss – hopefully no interruptions.

PAK vs NZ T20 World Cup Live Score: So far, the World Cup has gone forth fairly seamlessly. Only the Zimbabwe-Ireland game was abandoned without a ball bowled – but the weather begins to grow worse in Sri Lanka, as rain becomes more and more frequent. Hopefully by the end of the evening, the number remains at one.

Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 World Cup Live Score: As per the BBC Weather Forecast, rain is expected with a 65%+ chance for much of the evening: it goes down to around 50% at 9:30 pm local, but that is not much of an improvement either.

At the moment, reports indicate that the rain has subsided, and hopefully it stays away long enough for some amount of cricket. The R Premadasa Stadium’s drainage is renowned, and it might have to work heavy-duty tonight.

Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 World Cup Live Score:One thing to watch out for in Colombo will be the skies. A steay drizzel throughout the day, and although it has reportedly eased out, dark clouds remain over the Premadasa which could play spoilsport. Something we will keep an eye on.

Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 World Cup Live Score: Well, low-scoring by modern T20 standards, anyway. Over the course of the tournament, scores of 170-180 have proven to be enough, outside of Zimbabwe’s remarkable chase against Sri Lanka with time to spare. The go-to has been to get runs on the board early in the first innings, then rely on a slowing pitch to defend those. Par score should be around 170 here.

Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 World Cup Live Score: New Zealand need to get to grips with this Premadasa surface very quickly, but there is one player who will automatically become much more dangerous with spinning, slow conditions – captain Mitchell Santner himself. He loves slowing the ball up, adding loop and revs, and that could make for a killer combination on the kind of pitch promised in Colombo. If he can take responsibility and spin a web, New Zealand will feel they have a superpower up their sleeve.

Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 World Cup Live Score: During Pakistan’s must-win game against Namibia earlier this week, Salman Ali Agha appeared to have a bone to pick with coach Mike Hesson as he exploded in frustration soon after his dismissal. The coach later commented that there was no problem between either of them, and it was just the heat of the game getting to the skipper – but more than anything, it is just an episode that is indicative of the tension and the biting that has been going on in this Pakistan squad.

Not all is rosy with Babar Azam being demoted in the batting, Shaheen’s selection vs India being called out as a regret, and Shadab Khan being at war with members of the media and punditry. All of which can be a dangerous thing.

Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 World Cup Live Score: Pakistan have the advantage of knowing exactly where they are playing their games, and getting playing time at those three Sri Lankan venues. With three games at the SSC already, this is their second game at the Premadasa; while they lost their first one to India, they will have plenty of data and things to learn from that match that will help them out this time around.

Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 World Cup Live Score: So far, New Zealand have played their games in Chennai, with one being played in Ahmedabad. They have made use of good, flat batting conditions – even at Chepauk – with attacking cricket and powerful batting. Things change now, as the entirety of the Super 8 fixtures will be played in Sri Lanka, where conditions have been vastly different. This is especially the case for today’s venue at the Premadasa.

Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 World Cup Live Score: New Zealand had their own very similar path to the Super 8 stage, winning out comfortably against Afghanistan, UAE, and Canada, without hardly ever breaking a sweat. However, against the strong South African team, they were treated to some of their own medicine as Aiden Markram hit them around the park and out of the game.

New Zealand are a well-made and very solid T20I team, but need to find that little x-factor to consistently beat the best of the best.

Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 World Cup Live Score: Pakistan won 3 games and lost one in their group, playing three games at the SSC and one at the Premadasa in Colombo. They started off with a scare against the Netherlands, coming away with a win by the skin of their teeth. They proceeded to bury demons with a confident win against the USA, but were then hammered in the rivalry match against India by 61 runs. A massive 102-run win against Namibia ensured no further hiccups.

Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 World Cup Live Score: The initial group stage out of the way with eight teams through and 12 teams going home earlier than they would have liked. All four initial group leaders in one group, the runners-up in the other after the pre-seeding. Here are how the groups shake up:

Group 1 (play in India): India, Zimbabwe, South Africa, West Indies

Group 2 (play in Sri Lanka): Sri Lanka, Pakistan, England, New Zealand

Pakistan vs New Zealand T20 World Cup Live Score: The Super 8s are here for the T20 WC! New Zealand and Pakistan get us going in Colombo RPS. Stay tuned for updates.