India, Feb. 21 -- Two group runners up, one Colombo night, and a Super 8 contest that will not forgive a slow start. New Zealand arrive the cleaner momentum pattern. Pakistan arrive with greater variance, from 114 all out to 199 for 3 inside four games.

The match is at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, and it feels like a classic Super 8 opener: one side built around tempo and clean chases, the other still deciding what its safest batting shape looks like when the game turns tight.

New Zealand finished Group D with 3 wins from 4 and a net run rate of +1.227. Their story is not just wins, it is the way they have been finishing chases early enough to remove pressure from the back end.

They chased 174 against UAE without losing a wicket, re...