New Zealand vs Pakistan T20I: Bracewell Out, McConchie In – NZ Plan

New Zealand’s Super 8s campaign has taken a turn: Michael Bracewell is out of the tournament, with Cole McConchie brought into the squad. For a team which favours set roles and adaptable combinations, this is a change of more than just a name on the teamsheet.

The New Zealand versus Pakistan T20I at R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo (21 Feb 2026, 7:00 PM IST) was already a contest with a good deal of tactics involved – a slow pitch, large square boundaries, and two sides who can bowl spin in spells without difficulty. Now New Zealand need to re-think both their middle-over plans and their finishing line-up at the same time.

In Detail

Bracewell wasn’t valuable just for his off-spin; it was the way he allowed Mitchell Santner to control one end while New Zealand attacked from the other, and the left-right batting combinations he provided in the later stages of an innings.

So what does McConchie’s arrival mean for New Zealand, and what does it mean against a Pakistan attack led by Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, and a spin attack which will enjoy a gripping Colombo night?

Simply put, Bracewell is out, McConchie is in. The proper story, though, is what New Zealand lose in one package, and how they try to put it back together with two or three small changes.

Bracewell gave them three things which are hard to find in one player: a power-hitter in the final five overs, an off-spin bowler who could bowl in the powerplay or into left-handers, and a cool head in tight chases. McConchie can do parts of that, but in a different way.

What Bracewell’s Leaving Really Means

Bracewell’s off-spin isn’t about spinning the ball a lot like a specialist on a turning pitch. It’s control with purpose: flat, fast, and used at times when a batter wants to hit pace. On pitches like Premadasa, that “hold length, change pace, bowl to a plan” skill is extremely good, because mishits stay in the air, and the boundary seems a bit further away.

With the bat, Bracewell’s best overs were the difficult ones for bowlers: 15 to 20, when the field spreads, pace-off bowling is usual, and batters have to make their own power. New Zealand often used him as a release if the innings slowed after the 10th over. Even 22 runs off 12 balls can change a chase on this pitch.

Remove him, and New Zealand lose a left-handed finisher who can also take the pace off a set batter with the ball. Against Pakistan, that’s even more important, as Pakistan’s fast bowlers tend to bowl at the stumps late, and their spinners try to force you into bad shots.

Who is Cole McConchie Here

McConchie is an off-spinning all-rounder, but his profile is more “linking player” than “pure finisher.” He can hit, and he’s good under pressure, but his biggest strength is keeping the innings going: turning over the strike, choosing the right bowler to attack, and giving you good overs of off-spin without letting boundaries happen.

That’s important in Colombo, as teams often win by avoiding one bad period. Six overs for 33 runs and two wickets can be worse than a slow start, as it ruins the platform and forces risky shots at the end. McConchie’s batting can stop New Zealand from having that mid-innings slump.

His off-spin also provides a different angle than Glenn Phillips’ off-breaks. Phillips is a surprise weapon and a match-up option. McConchie is a more reliable option if the captain wants to get a 7-0-55-0 type of spell from the spin attack and then let the fast bowlers get wickets at the end.

Expected XI and Team Choice

New Zealand’s balance question is simple: do they keep the same bowling depth and accept a weaker finishing side, or do they look for extra batting and risk being one bowler short?

A likely line-up is:

That’s a lot of choices, and the most important one is this: if New Zealand play both McConchie and Ravindra with Santner, they may have to choose between an extra seamer and a specialist leg-spinner. On a dry Premadasa pitch, three spin options plus Sodhi could stop a chase. If there’s a lot of dew, they might rather have an extra seamer who can bowl yorkers and cutters.

Bracewell’s absence makes that choice harder, because he previously let New Zealand cover overs with an all-rounder, while still having enough late-innings hitting.

How Santner’s Captaincy Work Increases

Mitchell Santner’s job was already large. Now it gets even larger.

Bracewell helped Santner in two ways: he offered an off-spin choice which didn’t force Santner to bowl into a bad match-up, and he lessened the pressure to “win” the middle overs every game. Without him – Santner – New Zealand probably require:

• more forward-thinking plans for spin, getting catchers in early;
• tighter plans so Phillips, or McConchie, aren’t up against a hitter looking to sweep;
• and definite plans for Pakistan’s left-handers, most notably Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Nawaz.

Santner at his best manages the speed of the game from the very first ball: getting batters to hit into the deep, making them play at spin, then giving his faster bowlers figures to protect towards the end. Against Pakistan, those figures have to be spot on, as their pace attack can turn a game in eight balls.

Pakistan Bowling Match-ups and Adaptation

Pakistan’s pace bowling still depends on the new ball and the last four overs. Shaheen Afridi comes in at an angle, looking for lbw and bowled, then returns with slower balls and wider lines at the end. Naseem Shah goes for the top of off stump, and bowls a strong length which is difficult on slower pitches.

Bracewell often was the ‘answer’ when other teams tried to hold New Zealand back after the powerplay. Without him, the ‘answer’ will probably be a job for two people:

• Glenn Phillips as someone who hits boundaries,
• and Daryl Mitchell as someone who keeps things going, still finding gaps and hitting sixes when he’s in.

So New Zealand’s batting may rely even more on Allen, Conway or Seifert staying in until the 14th over. If their first three go out quickly, they can still make a score, but the maximum possible score comes down.

A sensible change could be moving Phillips up one place in the batting order if the game needs speeding up around the 10th over. That also means Phillips will face fewer balls from Abrar Ahmed or Shadab Khan when the field is set for spin.

Pakistan have gone into the Super 8s with some momentum, helped by strong performances from the top of their batting order. Sahibzada Farhan’s current form gives them a higher potential score at the top, and Fakhar can change a game in a single over.

The thing that’s not certain is Babar Azam’s form. When Babar is playing well, Pakistan’s innings looks smooth and certain. When he’s struggling, the pressure goes to the middle order, and that’s where New Zealand can put the most pressure on them with spin.

New Zealand’s best chance is overs 7 to 15. If Santner, Ravindra, McConchie and Sodhi can force Pakistan to play straight-batted shots against the spin, catches will be taken in the ring and at long-on/long-off. The larger the boundaries, the more Pakistan’s hitters will have to risk hitting the ball in the air.

R Premadasa Conditions and Scoring

R Premadasa Stadium is often like a test of control in Twenty20 form. It’s not that 180 isn’t possible. It’s that 180 needs real power and clever targeting.

What usually works here:

• bowling pace-off into the pitch;
• spin bowlers who can change their speed without the ball going onto the batter’s pads;
• batters who take singles early, and keep their big hits for the right ball.

If New Zealand bat first, what would be a good score depends on whether there is dew. A dry evening can make 155 seem a good score. A wet ball can make 170 seem easy to chase if a pair at the top of the batting order stay in. That’s why New Zealand’s team could be chosen depending on the toss and the conditions, rather than what they usually do.

Replacing Bracewell’s Late Bowling

They can’t replace him exactly. They replace him by dividing his jobs up.

Option A: Batting-first approach

New Zealand keep an extra batter, and trust their main bowlers to do enough. McConchie bats to keep things going, and Phillips takes on more of the work at the end. This is safer if they expect a game where around 160 will be enough.

Option B: Bowling-first approach

New Zealand fill the bowling attack with Sodhi and three fast bowlers, planning to defend anything over 150 by stopping Pakistan’s chase. This is safer if the pitch looks dry and slow.

In either case, the last overs are a team job. James Neesham, if he’s in the team, is attractive as a direct replacement for Bracewell – in terms of hitting at the end and changing the speed of his bowling. If Neesham doesn’t play, Jamieson’s batting can add to the depth, but doesn’t have the same finishing power.

Where McConchie Can Quietly Win

McConchie’s best way to make an impact isn’t a quick 30 off 12 balls. A 22 from 16 balls that prevents a collapse; two overs costing 12 that make Pakistan go for spin to the longer boundary; one excellent catch on the boundary as a batsman tries to speed things up – these are the things you don’t notice until the last five minutes, when you work out the final over was 14 instead of 9, or the goal was 168 instead of 158.

If you are making a fantasy XI, or checking how the market answers to team changes, this is the sort of match where what each player is for is more important than who the big names are. People watching the game, and how it changes, will often see prices move around the toss, dew, and spin battles on sites like Diamond Exchange – a reminder that Colombo games are hardly ever straightforward.

The main tactic for New Zealand against Pakistan in the T20I is to get Pakistan to hit spin towards the bigger part of the field, and to not allow straight boundaries.

That is:

• protecting long-on and long-off at the start, even if it lets them take singles,
• bowling at the stumps, with little changes in speed,
• and using Ferguson to put pressure on a batsman if they go for spin.

If New Zealand can make Pakistan chase a score beginning at eight runs an over and finishing at eleven, their fielding and calm manner give them a good chance. If Pakistan get a good start and reach the last five overs needing 45 with wickets left, the fast bowlers can take control.

Main Points

• Bracewell’s injury means New Zealand lose someone who could do two jobs – control spin, and hit well at the end of the innings – so NZ have to share those jobs between Phillips, Santner and McConchie.
• McConchie’s strength is being steady: turning the strike over, making good decisions, and bowling low-risk off-spin to stop Santner getting difficult matches in the middle overs.
• Premadasa usually gives a reward to neat spin and clever batting: a score of about the middle 160s could be good on a dry evening, but dew could turn the chase into a test of power.
• Pakistan’s pace attack is best with the new ball and at the end, so New Zealand’s first three batsmen need one long innings to keep the pressure of finishing the game under control.
• The New Zealand versus Pakistan T20I could depend on overs 7 to 15: if New Zealand’s spin bowlers make Pakistan try risky high shots, wickets will fall on this ground.

Conclusion

Bracewell being out, and McConchie coming in, doesn’t ruin New Zealand’s plan, but does change how they will win. The Kiwis might need one extra calm partnership with the bat, and a slightly tighter, more thought-out spin attack, to make up for what Bracewell used to do in short bursts.

On 21 February 2026 in Colombo, look out for how early Santner uses McConchie and Phillips with the ball, and if New Zealand move Phillips up the batting order if the run rate slows. If those plans work, New Zealand can still look like a team who could reach the semi-finals, even without one of their most useful players.