NZ Receive Santner Boost Before Super Eights, Ferguson Remains Doubtful

New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner is all set to feature in the Super Eights stage after recovering from illness. He is likely to play the game against Pakistan on Saturday, which is expected to be dominated by spinners. However, the pace spearhead Lockie Ferguson is still doubtful, as he will join the squad on Friday night after going back home for the birth of his first child.

The middle-order batter, Mark Chapman, is geared up for the upcoming challenge in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. He believes playing in Sri Lanka is different from India because the grounds here are bigger, requiring better running between the wickets.

"I think here especially, given the slower nature of the pitch along with the slightly bigger boundaries as well, you have to certainly change your game plan," said Mark Chapman.

"For me personally, batting in the middle I could be in the powerplay or in with very few overs to go. So specifically against the spinners it's probably [about] looking at different options around whether you employ a sweep shot more or a reverse sweep. Whereas in India, where it doesn't spin as much, you can look to target the straight boundaries a little bit more.” added Mark Chapman.

Speaking about the challenge of playing Pakistan, Mark Chapman said that New Zealand is well aware of their strengths, as both teams have faced each other frequently over the past few months.

"Pakistan is one of the teams we've played probably the most frequently over the last few years. We're well aware of what they're going to bring." said Mark Chapman.

He then said that bowlers will get an opportunity to showcase their skills in Colombo, as the slow nature of the pitch will help them to contain batters.

"The margins have been pretty small [in India]. 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." concluded Mark Chapman.