Colombo, February 20, 2026 – The Super 8 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 begins on Saturday, February 21, with a high-voltage clash between New Zealand and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium, scheduled to start at 18:30 PKT.
The tournament has narrowed from 20 teams to 8, with only the strongest sides left competing for the ultimate prize. The Super 8 phase features two groups of four teams each, where every team plays the others once. The top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals. Pre-seeding by the ICC allocated slots based on rankings, ensuring logistical ease for fans and broadcasters.
Super 8 Groups
• Group 1: India, South Africa, West Indies, Zimbabwe
• Group 2: England, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
New Zealand advanced from the so-called “group of death” (Group D), finishing as runners-up behind South Africa. Their group stage campaign featured challenges in Chennai and Ahmedabad, where pitches offered little help for spinners and pacers alike. Key players include Finn Allen, Tim Seifert, Daryl Mitchell, and pacers Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, and Jacob Duffy. Lockie Ferguson is expected to rejoin after missing the final group game.
Pakistan, meanwhile, survived a tight contest against Namibia to secure Super 8 qualification, having earlier beaten the USA and lost to India. Their batting remained inconsistent, with Sahibzada Farhan standing out with 220 runs, while other top-order batters struggled. However, Pakistan’s spin attack excelled, taking 26 wickets at an average of 16.07 and economy of 6.9, proving crucial in controlling the middle overs. Pace options include Shaheen Afridi and Salman Mirza, with the latter in strong form.
At the R. Premadasa Stadium, group stage trends favor the team batting first, with an average first-innings score of 173. Recent bilateral T20Is saw New Zealand dominate Pakistan 4-1 last year, but in T20 World Cup history, Pakistan leads 5-2, including the previous two meetings at this stage. Fans eagerly await which side will impose its narrative under Colombo lights.