41: That’s the number of times New Zealand and Pakistan faced each other across formats in a 30-month period between October 2022 and April 2025. Twenty four of those meetings came in T20Is, with the sides compensating for a tour which New Zealand abandoned in 2021, citing security concerns by piling on as many bilateral engagements as is it was possible to fit in a calendar.

Aside from a T20 World Cup semi-final in Sydney in 2022, none of those games mattered as much as the one in Colombo on February 21. Both sides have much convincing to do as credible title-contenders after a group stage which saw them ease past lower-ranked teams while getting thumped by the one powerhouse they played. In New Zealand’s case, it was South Africa who gave them a battering, while Pakistan were left similarly bruised by an Indian side that has otherwise not quite hit its straps.

For New Zealand, the biggest challenge is the switch of venue. They played all of their games in Chennai and Ahmedabad, and relied on a balance between seam and spin that leaned towards the former, with Mitchell Santner the only frontline spinner and Rachin Ravindra or Glenn Phillips chipping in with the odd over. In Colombo, that balance is likely to reverse as the slower bowlers take centre stage, something Pakistan have deployed so effectively in most of their matches.

Santner’s men have not tinkered much with the batting order, which has held up remarkably well for the most part. Against weaker oppositions, some combination of openers Finn Allen and Tim Seifert, or top order batters Ravindra and Phillips, have showcased enough firepower to ease home. Opposition attacks have also struggled to puncture their way through, with New Zealand losing just 14 wickets in four games, the second fewest for any side in this tournament.

Unlike New Zealand, Pakistan know this city intimately well by now. Three of their four games may have been played at the SSC – the other Colombo ground – but their match against India here at the RPS was, like Saturday’s contest, also an evening game, giving them a valuable read into the pitch and conditions. It is the venue they used more spin on than any other, with captain Salman Ali Agha suggesting that would only continue in the Super Eight.

The BCB has demoted Taksin Ahmed and Mushfiqur Rahim to lower grades in their 2026 central contracts for the national men’s cricketers. Taskin was the only player in the A-plus category in 2025, with a monthly salary of BDT 1 million (US $8169 approx.), but now he joins the Test, ODI and T20I captains Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Litton Das, respectively, in category A.

This is the second tier in the BCB’s gradation policy, in which each player earns BDT 800,000 (US $6535 approx.) per year. No player has been placed in the A+ category this time.

It is unclear why Taskin has been demoted despite his strong performances with the ball. The team management has typically reduced his workload to prolong his effectiveness across all three formats. Meanwhile, Mushfiqur, who retired from ODIs in 2025, was in Grade A last year, but now finds himself in Grade B, where he will earn BDT 600,000 (US $4901 approx.) per month. Ten other players are in this category, including Test specialists Monimul Haque, Taijul Islam and Shadman Islam.