New Delhi, Feb. 21 -- The Super Eight stage of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 kicked off on a damp note in Colombo, with the much-anticipated opener between Pakistan and New Zealand abandoned without a single ball bowled due to relentless rain. Persistent heavy showers at the R Premadasa Stadium forced match officials to call off the game after more than two hours of waiting beyond the scheduled 7:00 PM IST start.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and opted to bat first, but the covers stayed on as drizzle turned into heavier downpours, dashing hopes of even a reduced-overs contest. Both sides walked away with one point each under ICC rules for no-result matches, a frustrating but fair outcome in weather-affected games.

Th...