Pakistan's spin attack, led by the impressive Usman Tariq, poses a significant challenge for New Zealand in their Super 8 showdown at Premadasa. The Black Caps are particularly wary of Tariq's unique action but also draw confidence from their familiarity with Pakistan, having faced them frequently in recent T20Is.
Pakistan is likely to maintain the XI that defeated Namibia, with spin duties shared among Tariq, Saim Ayub, Mohammed Nawaz, and Shadab Khan. New Zealand hopes to have captain Mitchell Santner back from illness to bolster their spin options against the Pakistan batters.