New Zealand vs Pakistan T20I: Injury Updates, Who’s In, Who’s Out in Colombo

New Zealand against Pakistan invariably seems a contrast in approaches: New Zealand’s composure, defined roles, and considered match-ups against Pakistan’s unpredictability, speed, and periods of outstanding play. On February 21, 2026, that contest is at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo (7:00 PM IST), and the injury situation is already influencing team selections.

New Zealand arrive with a largely established team, though two unavoidable alterations subtly change their balance. Pakistan, by contrast, appear almost at full strength, although they are still dealing with a few questions regarding the final XI.

So, who is truly fit, who is unavailable, and what will it mean once the ball begins to turn on the Premadasa pitch?

In Depth

Injury Reports: Who Is Playing, Who Is Not

New Zealand – Confirmed Absences

• Michael Bracewell (injured, no longer in the team): New Zealand have already officially changed the team, with Cole McConchie being brought in to replace him. Bracewell’s absence is a setback as he offers a rare T20 ability: off-spin that can bowl in the powerplay, and a batting capability that comfortably occupies the No. 6 or No. 7 position.
• Adam Milne (injured, no longer in the team): Milne’s departure removes a fast bowler who bowls a hard length and is still able to bowl yorkers at the end of the innings. New Zealand’s pace attack now relies more on bowlers who get the ball to move, cutters, and clever angles, rather than sheer speed.

New Zealand – Players to Monitor

• Lockie Ferguson (recent calf strain): Ferguson’s situation has been more one of “managed recovery” than “emergency”, but any fast bowler recovering from a calf injury is worth watching because it affects both pace and the ability to land safely. If he is at 90% fitness, New Zealand may protect him by giving him shorter spells at the beginning and fewer overs at the end.

Pakistan – Availability and Team Management

• Shaheen Shah Afridi (knee problem earlier in the season, now back in contention): There was discussion of Shaheen’s injury earlier, but Pakistan included him in the World Cup team, and he has been part of match plans. The main concern now is how much work he can manage, and how strongly he can bowl at his maximum speed across four overs in consecutive important games.
• Fakhar Zaman (in the team, but not a certain starter): Fakhar’s availability is not the only thing to consider; Pakistan have shown they will rearrange the top order depending on match-ups, current form, and whether they want an additional bowler or all-rounder in the team.

The main point of this New Zealand versus Pakistan T20I is straightforward: New Zealand have confirmed absences that alter their typical batting-bowling symmetry, whereas Pakistan’s “who’s in, who’s out” is more about combinations than a compulsory injury problem.

How the Injuries Affect New Zealand

Bracewell’s absence is not simply “one all-rounder replaced by another.” It alters how New Zealand structure overs and where they locate power late in the innings.

1) Spin roles become more precise

Without Bracewell’s off-spin as a flexible option, New Zealand depend more on:

• Mitchell Santner to control the speed of the middle overs and manage left-right handed batting combinations.
• Ish Sodhi as the wicket-taker when the ball is turning, particularly if Pakistan’s right-handed batters begin to aim for the straight boundary.
• Glenn Phillips / Rachin Ravindra as occasional changes, depending on which of Pakistan’s batters is still at the crease.

McConchie is reliable, and provides off-spin plus fielding ability. However, Bracewell’s ability to reduce pace and hit straight at the end is a different skill set.

2) The finishing responsibility is transferred

New Zealand’s late-overs power can come from Phillips, Neesham, and Daryl Mitchell, with Conway or Seifert appearing depending on how the game is going. Bracewell was the extra pressure-release who could turn a par score of 150 into 170 with one good over.

With him missing, New Zealand might:

• Move Phillips up the order one place if they sense spin in the middle.
• Keep Neesham back for even longer if they expect dew to make the final overs more easy to hit.

3) The pace strategy is less “sheer pace”, more “plans”

With Milne out and Ferguson’s fitness being watched, New Zealand’s fast bowling is:

• Matt Henry for seam position and early swing if there is any.
• Kyle Jamieson for bounce and awkward lengths that are difficult to hit on slower pitches.
• Ferguson / Duffy depending on readiness to play, with cutters and hard lengths used as the main weapons.

On Premadasa, that can still be effective. This ground rewards bowlers who bowl to a length and make the batter question the speed of the ball off the surface.

What Pakistan’s Availability Means for Their XI

Pakistan’s main advantage is clarity in roles throughout the team: a batting line-up that can chase, and a bowling attack that can defend if they don’t concede runs in the 16th and 18th overs.

Shaheen’s situation is the most important

If Shaheen is completely fit, Pakistan get:

• Early swing danger to Finn Allen and Conway.
• A left-arm angle that forces batters to hit to the side rather than straight.
• A plan for the end of the innings based around yorkers and wide lines. Should he be a little off with his timing, Pakistan might well be able to protect him in the last over and employ Faheem Ashraf – or Salman Mirza – as varying seam bowling alternatives towards the end.

Fakhar’s function is a tactical one

Fakhar is the sort of player who can secure a T20 victory in 25 deliveries, or achieve 8 runs from 7 balls and leave his side needing to increase the run rate. Pakistan have adopted adaptability: they are able to start with aggression – using Saim – proceed in a stable manner – with Babar – or formulate a left-right combination to disrupt spin bowling.

Considering New Zealand’s anticipated Santner-Sodhi middle overs, Pakistan might desire an additional left-handed batter within the top five, to prevent Santner from establishing his comfortable, stump-to-stump rhythm.

Premadasa, Colombo: What the Pitch Generally Asks Of You

R. Premadasa Stadium is not usually a pitch for 20 overs of “stand and deliver” batting. Rather, it is a pitch which assesses your shot choices for 12–14 overs, and then rewards the side which correctly anticipates the dew.

The pitch’s main characteristics

Because of this, the toss in Colombo is often seen as a small tactical advantage before the first ball is bowled. If dew appears, the task of chasing a target is made easier as batters can have more confidence in the speed of the delivery.

Recent Form Review Before Feb 21

New Zealand’s tournament has depended on well-constructed starts and careful middle overs, with their top order providing them with a base, rather than unpredictability. They have also demonstrated their ability to take control when set, including a considerable opening partnership in the tournament which showed how quickly Allen and Conway can take a match from their opponents.

Pakistan’s progress to this stage has been more problematic. They have needed to endure a severe loss to India, then recover and secure results to qualify. This type of progression can either strengthen a team or reveal its weaknesses, depending on how the top order deals with initial pressure.

Probable XIs and Roles

These are not ‘finalised’, but they fit the injury situation and the Colombo conditions.

New Zealand (probable)

• Finn Allen
• Devon Conway (wk)
• Rachin Ravindra
• Glenn Phillips
• Daryl Mitchell
• Mark Chapman / Tim Seifert (batting balance decision)
• James Neesham
• Mitchell Santner (c)
• Ish Sodhi
• Matt Henry
• Kyle Jamieson / Lockie Ferguson (dependent on fitness)

Who profits from the injury adjustments?

• Rachin becomes even more valuable as he provides overs of spin and extends the batting line-up.
• Phillips may be moved up the order to attack spin earlier.

Pakistan (probable)

• Saim Ayub
• Sahibzada Farhan / Fakhar Zaman (one position seems open)
• Babar Azam
• Salman Ali Agha (c)
• Usman Khan (wk)
• Shadab Khan
• Mohammad Nawaz
• Faheem Ashraf
• Shaheen Shah Afridi
• Abrar Ahmed
• Mohammad Salman Mirza / Usman Tariq (depending on the pitch and opposition)

Pakistan’s key team selection problem

Do they play two specialist spin bowlers, as well as Shadab and Nawaz, or do they retain an extra fast bowler for the end of the innings should dew be anticipated?

If they anticipate New Zealand’s middle order, which is largely composed of right-handed batters, Abrar becomes a significant asset.

Contrasts Which Could Determine the Evening

1. Shaheen versus Finn Allen (powerplay)
   Allen does not require ‘warm-up’ deliveries; he attacks the length. Shaheen’s greatest chance is to deliver at full length with swing in the early overs, then the unexpected bouncer when Allen commits to the drive. If Allen survives the first 12 balls, New Zealand’s powerplay potential increases considerably.
2. Santner versus Babar and Salman (middle overs)
   Santner bowls the type of overs which do not appear spectacular, but quietly constrain the match. If Babar plays him without risk and rotates the strike, Pakistan can conserve wickets for a late surge. If Santner wins the dot-ball contest, Pakistan will be compelled to play more dangerous shots against Sodhi and Jamieson.
3. Abrar versus Conway and Phillips
   Abrar’s skill is pace and dip with accuracy. Conway prefers pace on angles; Abrar denies that rhythm. Phillips, however, can break a spell in a single over if he reads the length quickly. This struggle might determine whether Pakistan can hold New Zealand to a score which is par, or better.

Death overs: Neesham against Pakistan’s yorker strategy

Pakistan’s best chance at the end of an innings is Shaheen, plus Faheem, with full, fast yorkers and slower deliveries. Neesham, however, does well with a damp ball, a smaller ground, and predictable bowling. Even at Premadasa, a single missed yorker can be hit for a boundary if the batter is already in form.

For people following this contest closely, even slight changes to the teams can shift what people expect before the game; fans often use sites like 99 Exchange to monitor how things are going and what the odds are, as they put together fantasy teams or follow last-minute team selection news.

What “Who’s In, Who’s Out” Means for Tactics

New Zealand’s probable tactic

• Employ Henry and Jamieson to challenge Pakistan in the early overs with hard-length balls and balls that move across the seam.
• Save Santner for when Pakistan attempt to rebuild their innings by taking singles.
• Utilise Sodhi as a bowler who can get a wicket when Pakistan’s right-handed players try to hit over the leg-side boundary.
• Bat with a clear plan: attack during the powerplay, manage the middle overs, and accelerate at the end with Phillips and Neesham.

Pakistan’s probable tactic

• If they bat first: create a foundation with Babar and Salman, then release Shadab and Nawaz towards the end of the innings.
• If they are chasing: preserve wickets for the last seven overs, as chases at Premadasa can change quickly due to the dew.
• Bowl with more spin if the pitch is dry, using Abrar and Nawaz to get batters to make errors.

The most interesting consequence of the injuries is New Zealand’s fewer ‘spare’ players. Without Bracewell and Milne, they still have a good starting eleven, but less flexibility to change plans during the innings. Pakistan do well when matches become unpredictable, so New Zealand will want this match played as they want it to be – carefully, based on the strengths of their bowlers against the batters, and without giving away too many easy runs.

Important Points

• New Zealand’s definite absentees: Michael Bracewell and Adam Milne are out, meaning Santner, Phillips, and the remaining fast bowlers will have more to do.
• Lockie Ferguson’s fitness is still important: if he isn’t fully fit, New Zealand’s pace attack at the end of the innings will rely more on changes of pace than sheer speed.
• Pakistan appear to be almost at full strength: Shaheen Afridi is in their plans, and any ‘changes’ are likely to be tactical rather than due to injuries.
• Premadasa favours spin and accuracy: the team which wins the middle overs without conceding many boundaries will usually win the chase, unless the dew makes it a night for hitting sixes.
• Team selection will be crucial: New Zealand’s No. 6 and No. 7 batsmen, and Pakistan’s choice between a second spinner and an extra fast bowler, could decide the last five overs.

Conclusion

This New Zealand versus Pakistan T20 International is not only about the famous players; it’s about which team deals with difficulties better. New Zealand have already had to change their squad, and Pakistan’s advantage is their ability to quickly turn small chances into significant momentum.

Pay attention to the first six overs, and then the period of spin bowling after that. If New Zealand keep Pakistan’s scoring rate down without losing control of the ball, they will trust their finishing batsmen. If Pakistan keep wickets and force New Zealand into defensive fielding positions early on, the match can quickly change under the Colombo lights.