Pakistan captain Salman Agha won the toss in Colombo and, without lingering, chose to bat in the first Super Eight fixture of the T20 World Cup. “We’ve generally defended totals better than we’ve chased them,” he told the host broadcaster, pointing to a trend that has shaped several of Pakistan’s recent wins.
No sooner had Agha handed his team-sheet to the match referee than the forecast drizzle drifted over the R Premadasa Stadium. Ground staff hurried the covers on, leaving both line-ups to wait and see how long the interruption would last.
Pakistan have made a solitary change: left-hander Fakhar Zaman comes in for Khawaja Nafay, claiming his first appearance of the tournament. New Zealand, expecting the surface to grip more than the ones they encountered in Chennai, have strengthened their slow-bowling options by recalling leg-spinner Ish Sodhi. Quick bowler Lockie Ferguson, who only arrived in Sri Lanka late last night, has come through a fitness test and slots straight into the XI.
Mitchell Santner conceded the decision to bowl was straightforward once he’d looked at the pitch. “The square here is never quite as flat as Chennai,” the New Zealand skipper said. “We like the balance Sodhi gives us and Lockie’s pace is always handy.”
Today’s meeting is the 50th T20 international between the sides – the first bilateral contest in the format to reach that milestone. Both camps played down the statistic, though Santner admitted it was “pretty cool” and Agha noted that “history only helps if you learn from it.”
Probable playing XIs
New Zealand: Tim Seifert (wk), Finn Allen, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner (capt), Jimmy Neesham, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson.
Pakistan: Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Agha (capt), Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Salman Mirza, Usman Tariq.
With persistent rain forecast for the early evening, both sets of bowlers may have a damp ball to contend with once play resumes. For now, Pakistan will hope the decision to set a target – and the inclusion of Fakhar’s power hitting – hands them an early advantage in a Super Eight group that offers little margin for error.
