Colombo is bracing for a high-stakes clash in the T20 World Cup 2026 Super-8 stage, where Pakistan faces New Zealand at the R. Premadasa Stadium. Heavy rains loom large, threatening to wash out the contest, but should the match proceed, it promises edge-of-the-seat action. All eyes will be on Pakistan’s former skipper Babar Azam, whose bat has been unusually quiet in this tournament so far. Against New Zealand, however, he boasts an enviable record that could turn the tide.
Babar has been a nightmare for Kiwi bowlers in T20 cricket. In 26 matches across 24 innings, he has amassed 880 runs at an average of 41.90 and a blistering strike rate of 131.93. His highlights include one century and eight half-centuries, with a best score of an unbeaten 101. This fixture offers Babar the perfect platform to rediscover his fluency and lead Pakistan’s charge.
Fakhar Zaman, another Pakistani stalwart, brings solid experience against New Zealand, scoring 439 runs in 17 matches with three fifties at a strike rate of 134.25. Though he has been sidelined in this World Cup’s playing XI so far, his past exploits underline Pakistan’s batting depth.
On the flip side, Pakistan’s bowlers must neutralize New Zealand’s dangerous trio: Mark Chapman, Tim Seifert, and Finn Allen. Chapman has plundered 663 runs in 25 innings against Pakistan, featuring a century and four fifties at a staggering strike rate of 161.70, his highest being an unbeaten 104.
Seifert, a consistent opener, has 579 runs from 19 innings at 153.98 strike rate, with a best of 97 not out. Finn Allen, the explosive opener, has been even more devastating, notching 510 runs in 14 innings, including a ton and three fifties, at over 190 strike rate—his top score a mammoth 137.
Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell have also shone against Pakistan, adding to New Zealand’s threat. As weather permits, this battle of records could define group standings, with Babar’s mastery potentially giving Pakistan the upper hand in a rain-interrupted tournament.