ICC T20 World Cup 2026: New Zealand vs Pakistan | Match 41 | Super Eight Round | Group 2 | Colombo | February 21 | Pre-Match Discussion

[Local.Dada]

Should be a great game when you can’t tell who are the clear favorites

 

[Human786]

Should be a great game when you can’t tell who are the clear favorites

Atm , NZ are marginally fave at 1.85 .
Any pics of pitch to be used tomorrow ?

 

[Cover Drive Six]

I feel this is going to be a good game, 50-50.

It depends on the Pakistani spinners, if they trouble the Kiwi batsmen, it will be an easy win for Pakistan.

 

[shah9425]

Going to be tough one

Hopefully weather remains clear

Rain stay away

 

[RidiculousMan]

Mike Hesson shared following thoughts in the Pre-Match presser today:

On Abrar Ahmed and Spin Options
"Nawaz is one of the best performing spinners in the world in T20 cricket. Since Shadab's come back, his figures have been exceptional. Saim Ayub is already in the side anyway and obviously has the ability to bowl the carrom ball. We have six spin bowlers, there are times where we don't need that many. There could well be conditions in this tournament where we might go spin heavy again or even more spin heavy than we already do. And we know that Abrar would be ready if required."

Sounds like Hesson has decided to sideline Abrar to make way for all rounders in the main combo going forward. That "if required" tells you everything and the fact that he thinks Shadab's figure since comeback have been "exceptional", well exceptional if you count his bowling against the likes of Namibia.

 

[GLORY OF '92]

NZ have a lot of quality especially in batting they outgun us. It's gonna need an exceptional performance to beat them.

 

[Devadwal]

Tomorrow at this time we will discuss how Pakistan can qualify for the semi-finals after NZ defeat.

Or Scenario for Pakistan to qualify for the semi!!!

 

[RehanG]

90% rain I doubt even one ball wil be bowled.

 

[Kianig89]

Pakistan batters need to step up , otherwise no chance

 

[hur rizvi]

Mike Hesson shared following thoughts in the Pre-Match presser today:

On Team Progress and Performance
"Oh, look, we've certainly spent the last 6 months getting to this point. So, you know, the fact we made the Super Eights is the position we wanted to find ourselves in. We've played some pretty good cricket. I think we've won eight of our last 10 games. And we've had many different players stand up at different times. So confident with where the group is at."

On Playing Conditions and Adjustments
"We didn't place so well out on this surface last time. So looking forward to putting that right tomorrow. And I think it's probably just adjusting to the conditions a little bit better than we did last time here. But outside of that, you know boys have prepared well."

On Mark Chapman and the Pakistan Threat
"Mark Chapman has an incredible record against Pakistan both in Pakistan and at home for him. So, he's faced a lot of our bowlers and he's had some success. But this pitch will bring some different challenges and we'll have some different thoughts around how we might find a way of trying to subdue him a little bit, but he's certainly not the only threat. There's plenty of them. So, we won't be focused just on one."

On Psychological Edges in Cricket
"I don't think games are won or lost psychologically. I think they won through skill. New Zealand have played a huge amount on the subcontinent in recent times. The Sri Lanka it tends to spin a little bit sharper than it does in India as a general rule. I don't believe anyone's got a psychological edge. What's happened in the past is in the past, we're looking forward to starting the super eights well tomorrow."

On Babar Azam’s Role at Number Four
"Well, look, it's what the role the team requires. And Bub is well aware of that. I think he's well aware strike rate in the power play in World Cups is less than 100 so in T20s. So clearly that's not a role that we think here we need. We think he's a fine player through the middle if required in terms of if we're in a little bit of trouble. Once he gets himself set he can increase his strike rate at that point. We wanted some batsmanship through the middle. And he certainly brings that for us. The other day we got to the 12th over mark and at that point Babar Azam is not the best person to come in. Bob is actually the first to acknowledge that he knows that he's got a certain set of skills that the team require and there are certain times where other players can perform that role more efficiently."

On Abrar Ahmed and Spin Options
"Nawaz is one of the best performing spinners in the world in T20 cricket. Since Shadab's come back, his figures have been exceptional. Saim Ayub is already in the side anyway and obviously has the ability to bowl the carrom ball. We have six spin bowlers, there are times where we don't need that many. There could well be conditions in this tournament where we might go spin heavy again or even more spin heavy than we already do. And we know that Abrar would be ready if required."

On the Top Order Approach
"Top order has been exceptional in three of the games. We played on a different surface at SSC the other day and it was actually quite two paced and I thought we absorbed a bit of pressure in that power play. Well, if we went too hard too soon, we could have found ourselves in a little bit of trouble. Conditions didn't really allow that. And then once the seam got softer, it got easier."

On Selection Decisions (Shaheen and Naseem Shah)
"Look we picked the best team to play that particular game for Pakistan and we made a call that Salman Mehran was coming in for Shaheen and he bowled incredibly well. Conditions have dictated that we're only playing two seamers and often those two seamers are not even bowling their full compliment. We also know that if conditions suggest that we need more seam, probably more Premadasa sorry probably more Pallekele than here, then we know that Naseem is bowling incredibly well and we've got options but we'll pick the best team for the conditions."

On Saim Ayub and Team Consistency
"Like I said, we've won eight of our 10 games. The series before this Saim was the highest run scorer. So, we certainly don't look at one or two games in isolation. We know that Saim if he gets it right will take the game away from anyone. I wouldn't expect huge changes. We've built our rankings increase over the last 8 months around consistency and making subtle changes, but we weren't making big changes."

On the Rumored "Heated Discussion" with Salman Ali Agha
"I've actually got sent that video and you guys really got that wrong. So I'll talk you through what happened. I was going over to talk to Salman about and get Nawaz to put the pads on as a left-hander and Agha was upset that he just got out. So he threw the bottle into the ground. Nothing to do with the conversation we were having. It was a really simple conversation that often he wasn't even part of. He was just standing there being pretty disappointed that he was out and it just happened to be in the crossfire. Amazing what people can interpret sometimes."

So Abrar’s tournament is already over

 

[GLORY OF '92]

So Abrar’s tournament is already over

He's overrated and arrogant. Tariq is the real deal give him 180 he'll win us every game.

 

[hur rizvi]

I would understand if he brings in Naseem for one of the all rounders, but dropping Abrar because he thinks Nawaz and Shadab are good bowlers is bull crap.

Hesson is a crap planner

 

[hur rizvi]

He's overrated and arrogant. Tariq is the real deal give him 180 he'll win us every game.

No, him and Tariq both are needed to choke NZ and Eng. I am hell sure NZ will murder shadab and Nawaz in middle overs

I would be fine if he brings in Naseem but bowling Shadab/nawaz ahead of abrar in middle overs is suicidal

 

[hur rizvi]

In shadab and Nawaz hesson is going to give 8 lollipop overs to every team. Atleast one of them will have off day in every super 8 game

 

[hur rizvi]

Should be a great game when you can’t tell who are the clear favorites

NZ are clear favourites by a country mile

 

[Usman Chadda]

Tomorrow at this time we will discuss how Pakistan can qualify for the semi-finals after NZ defeat.

Or Scenario for Pakistan to qualify for the semi!!!

Both teams might end up getting a crucial point here, the forecast is horrendous for the match timings.

 

[GLORY OF '92]

85% Rain 1 point is good against NZ

 

[KingKhanWC]

85% Rain 1 point is good against NZ

Prob is if you lose one , you’re prob out .

 

[pratiktc]

This is the match that decides it for Pak.
If they win there is high chance they will ride wave to the semis.

If they lose they will likely spiral into depressing 3 match loss streak and finish last in group.

On bowling front Pak is a better attack than NZ. All Pak needs is for 2-3 batters to step up and get them upto par score. The bowlers can handle the rest.

 

[Local.Dada]

NZ are clear favourites by a country mile

Not in Colombo pitches.

 

[jnaveen1980]

NZ has the best strike rate against spin this world T20 by some distance. 9.88 ER by spinners against NZ. But they played in India. Glen PHilips strike rate against spin is close to 200

 

[hur rizvi]

Both NZ and Pak wouldn’t want it to rain out. A no result means both will have to win next two games to qualify

 

[shah9425]

A washout will put extra pressure on us

Hopefully the game happens

 

[shamaan786]

People dont get it. Tariq is useful when batsman are going after him. He is your death bowler too. And i guess he is comfortable with old bowl.

No point in wasting his overs where teams ll milk him for 6 7 runs.

They needed wickets they should have brought tariq in even if that means just for the 1 car.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Normally you would consider NZ to be outright favorites but in Premadasa batting is not as easy as it is in Chepauk. On top of that their bowling has not fired at all in this tournament so far so they might be leaning on guys like Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra to give them a few good overs. Pakistan can definitely win this if they are able to get out of their own way.

 

[CricVet]

It is too early to say that a shared point will be a disadvantage. IF they won the next 2 games, they will be thru.

On the flip side, it is a loss of 1 point which can be unfortunate in case of 1 deafeat or more washout.

As far as Pak is concerned, it deserves an early exit for as long as this extreme favoritism is alive.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

I don't think its going to be a washout