Published: Feb 20, 2026, 06:43 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 20, 2026, 06:43 PM (IST)
New Zealand middle-order batter Mark Chapman said his team’s recent games against Pakistan will help them handle the tricky bowling of mystery spinner Usman Tariq and the rest of Pakistan’s attack in their T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 Group 2 match on Saturday.
Since August 2024, New Zealand have faced Pakistan in 20 bilateral matches (ODIs and T20Is). Chapman believes all that cricket has given the Kiwis a clear idea of what Pakistan’s bowlers can do.
“Obviously, Usman Tariq has a pretty unique action with the way that he stops at the crease, so I mean that’s something to factor in. But for us, Pakistan have a number of really good spinners, so each of them poses their own threat,” said Chapman in the pre-match press conference on Friday.
“So, Pakistan is one of the teams that we’ve played probably the most frequently over the last few years. So, we’re well aware of what they’re going to bring. It’s just about making sure we’re really clear in the way that we want to play as a team,” he added.
Chapman pointed out that the pitches in Sri Lanka are slower than the ones in India, so New Zealand’s bowlers will need to change their plans.
“I think in India we’ve seen that the pitches on – particularly on red soil – have been favourable for batting. So, it’s been pretty tough for the bowlers. The margins have been pretty small.
“I mean, you’ve seen a lot of games nearing that 200 score regularly. I think the bowlers have certainly had a little bit of a challenge. But here it’s slightly different with the slower nature of the pitches. The bowlers will, hopefully, get a chance to really show off their skills,” he said.
“I know that spin is probably more likely to play a part here in particular. So, yeah, we’ll just wait and see what the pitch looks like.”
The 31-year-old batter said it’s a big advantage for New Zealand to play all three Super 8 matches at the same ground in Colombo.
“I think, when you play in these tournaments, one of the challenges is hopping from venue to venue and adapting. I guess playing all three games here, we’ll learn each game as we go.
“I think for us, it’s quite nice to be able to turn up to the same place and the same venue, similar pitches and adjust. So I think, yeah, certainly something that we’re not complaining about,” he noted.
Chapman also gave an update on captain Mitchell Santner, who missed the last match against Canada due to illness.
“Mitch Santner, he looks pretty sprightly, so I think he’s pretty excited to get back to the park. Barring any last minute sickness, I think he’ll be there. Obviously, Lockie (Ferguson on parental leave) has left us.
“I think he’s currently on the way back, and I think he’s landing potentially soon. So we’ll just see how he pulls up from the flight,” he said.
With Pakistan’s spin-heavy attack and slower Colombo pitches in focus, New Zealand will look to use their recent experience and to start their Super 8 campaign strongly.
For all latest updates of T20 World Cup 2026 you can visit: https://www.cricketcountry.com/icc-mens-t20-world-cup-2026/
