New Zealand's middle order has struggled to provide consistent support, with Phillips, Ravindra, Chapman and Mitchell all showing flashes without impactful contributions. This will be tested against Pakistan's spin arsenal of Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan, who have an advantage having been based in Colombo throughout the tournament.
Pakistan also has batting concerns, with captain Babar Azam managing just 66 runs in four matches. The team is considering options including recalling left-arm pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, who has been expensive, and potentially introducing Fakhar Zaman who hasn't featured yet.