New Zealand enters the contest mindful of Pakistan's formidable spin attack, particularly mystery spinner Usman Tariq who has proven difficult for teams to counter. The Black Caps' middle-order batters Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, and Daryl Mitchell will be key to handling the threat, with Chapman acknowledging Tariq's unique action while noting the familiarity between the teams due to their frequent T20I encounters.
Pakistan, who have been acclimatized to the slower spin-friendly pitches in Sri Lanka, are expected to maintain their lineup from the successful Namibia match, featuring spinners Tariq, Saim Ayub, Mohammed Nawaz, and Shadab Khan, with left-armer Salman Mirza as their lone pacer. Meanwhile, New Zealand hopes to welcome back captain Mitchell Santner, whose style is well-suited to Sri Lankan conditions, after he missed their previous game against Canada due to illness.