The opening Super Eight match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 between New Zealand and Pakistan was called off in Colombo due to persistent rain. The game ended without a single ball being bowled, even though the toss had already taken place.

Match officials waited for more than two hours after the scheduled start time, hoping the weather would improve. However, the drizzle that began during the toss gradually became heavier. It never stopped long enough to allow play to begin.

Soon, puddles appeared on the covers. Moreover, the cloudy conditions showed no signs of clearing. As a result, the umpires had no option but to abandon the match.

Toss Completed but Weather Seals Outcome

There had already been concerns about rain before the toss. In fact, Pakistan’s evening practice session the previous day was cancelled because of showers.

At the toss, Pakistan captain Salman Agha won and chose to bat first. However, light rain started while the captains were speaking. Immediately, the ground staff rushed to place the covers over the pitch. From that moment, the match looked unlikely to proceed.

Team Changes Announced Before Washout

Pakistan made one change to their lineup. They left out Khawaja Nafay and included Fakhar Zaman in the playing XI.

Meanwhile, New Zealand made three changes. Importantly, they welcomed back their captain Mitchell Santner into the side.

Points Shared, Pressure Builds Ahead

With the match abandoned, both teams shared the points. While they have now opened their Super Eight campaign, the washout leaves them with very little margin for error in the remaining matches.

Pakistan will next face England on Tuesday and then play Sri Lanka a week later. On the other hand, New Zealand will meet Sri Lanka on Wednesday before taking on England on Friday. Notably, all Super Eight matches in this group are being held in Sri Lanka.