The highly anticipated start to the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup ended in frustration as the opening clash between Pakistan and New Zealand was abandoned without a single ball being bowled due to persistent heavy rain in Colombo.
The weather intervened just moments after Pakistan captain Salman Agha won the toss and opted to bat first.
During the toss, Agha said that his team needs to play their best cricket and added that his spinners would play an important role, while confirming a lineup featuring two pace bowlers.
New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner also expressed his side's readiness for the critical encounter.
Unfortunately, light rain began falling as the toss concluded, quickly forcing ground staff to cover the entire field.
The abandonment serves as a damp start to the Super Eight phase, where the final eight teams out of the original 20 are competing across two groups to secure one of the four semi-final spots.