The T20 World Cup Super Eight fixture between New Zealand and Pakistan has been washed out due to incessant rain.
The match, held in Colombo, never got underway as the weather refused to relent. Officials waited for over two hours from the official start time, hoping for an improvement, but the steady drizzle only intensified.
With puddles forming on the covers, the umpires were left with no choice but to call off the game.
Pakistan Opt to Bat, Rain Intervenes
There was a strong chance of showers as toss time approached.
The previous day, Pakistan’s evening training session had to be cancelled because of rain. At the toss, which Pakistan won, Salman Agha opted to bat first. A drizzle began as the captains were speaking, and the ground staff started to move the covers into position. From thereon, the fate of the game was sealed.
Team Changes Before the Washout
Pakistan had left out Khawaja Nafay and brought in Fakhar Zaman.
New Zealand made three changes, including welcoming their captain Mitchell Santner back into the XI.
Super Eight Implications
Both teams have secured a point in the Super Eight.
However, they are left with little room for error in their upcoming matches. Pakistan will play England next on Tuesday and Sri Lanka a week from today, while New Zealand take on Sri Lanka on Wednesday and England on Friday. All games in this group take place in Sri Lanka.