India, Feb. 21 -- The New Zealand middle-order's ability to mount a strong response when faced with the guile and variety in Pakistan's spin unit will be the deciding factor when the two sides face each other in the opening Super Eight Group 2 match of the T20 World Cup on Saturday. The Kiwi batters are yet to hit top gear in the ICC showpiece, except for openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen, who have three fifties between them.

But their middle-order colleagues have not been able to back them up sufficiently, as the likes of Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman and Daryl Mitchell have struggled for consistency. Phillips and Ravindra have fifty each, but they don't have much to show around overall.

From four matches, Ravindra has...