Rain threatens to wash out T20 World Cup Super 8s match between Pakistan and New Zealand: Check full weather report

New Zealand vs Pakistan, T20 World Cup 2026: Rain could play a dampener in the Super 8s match between NZ and PAK at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Updated on: Feb 21, 2026, 07:29:25 IST

Written by Vishesh Roy

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Rain is never too far away when it comes to Sri Lanka, and especially Colombo. And ahead of every marquee game, one has to check the weather prediction out of habit, and the same is the case ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8s match between New Zealand and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday. The time for the group stage is over, and the business end of the tenth edition of the World Cup is about to begin. The eight teams have been divided into two groups of four in the Super 8s, and only two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.

New Zealand vs Pakistan, T20 World Cup 2026: Rain could play a dampener in the Super 8s match (PTI)

India, South Africa. The West Indies and Zimbabwe are in Group 1, while New Zealand, England, Sri Lanka and Pakistan form Group 2. The Super 8s action will begin on Saturday, February 21, with the game between Salman Ali Agha's Pakistan and Mitchell Santner's New Zealand.

However, rain threatens to play spoilsport in the Super 8s opener as the weather prediction is grim for the entire day in Colombo. According to AccuWeather, rain is predicted in the afternoon and evening, with a couple of thunderstorms also expected. Skies will be overcast all day, and conditions are expected to become cloudier in the evening, around the time of the match.

Also Read: New Zealand's power meets Pakistan's volatility in first Super 8 clash of T20 World Cup 2026 in Colombo

The maximum rainfall is predicted between 1 PM and 3 PM, with chances ranging from 49 per cent to 68 per cent. The chance of rain will drop to 20 per cent between 7 PM and 11 PM. The air quality is expected to be poor, and the humidity will be in the high 80s.

So far, there has been only one washout in the entire T20 World Cup 2026 edition, and it came in Pallekele after rain forced the Group B match between Zimbabwe and Ireland to be abandoned without a single ball being bowled.

What happens if Pakistan-New Zealand gets called off?

If the match between Pakistan and New Zealand is abandoned due to rain, then both teams will share one point each. There is no reserve day in place, and a washed-out match will severely impact their chances of reaching the last four.

There will be an additional 90 minutes available on the day of the match to try to force a result, depending on the scheduled start time. However, if there isn't enough time for even a 5-over contest, the officials will call off the game, and both teams will be awarded 1 point each.

Full Super 8s Group 2 schedule

February 21 - Pakistan vs New Zealand - Colombo

February 22 - Sri Lanka vs England - Pallekele

February 24 - England vs Pakistan - Pallekele

February 25 - Sri Lanka vs England - Colombo

February 27 - England vs New Zealand - Colombo

February 28 - Sri Lanka vs Pakistan - Pallekele

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vishesh Roy
Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.Read More

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