New Zealand vs Pakistan, T20 World Cup 2016 as it happened

That is all for today, but join IBTimes UK again tomorrow as we bring you live coverage of England's meeting with Afghanistan in Delhi.

We will also be across hosts India's clash with Bangladesh, which takes place at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.

Goodbye for now.

Pakistan's qualification now hangs in the balance and will be partially dependent on the results of others as they prepare to face Australia in Mohali on Friday.

As for New Zealand, they finish their group campaign against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens on Saturday.

Opener Sharjeel Khan gave Pakistan real hope of chasing down 181 with an eye-catching 47, but Pakistan's middle order lacked confidence and panache. A lot of the credit for that must go to New Zealand's bowling attack, who suffered heavily early on before regaining their composure to excellent effect.

Ish Sodhi was a real calming influence and finished his four overs with figures of one for 25. Adam Milne and Mitchell Santner each took two wickets for 26 and 29 respectively.

So New Zealand become the first team to book their spot in the final four with a third consecutive victory that owed much to the firepower of Martin Guptill and a handy complementary knock from Ross Taylor.

New Zealand qualify for the semi-finals of the ICC World Twenty20 2016 with a 22-run victory over Pakistan

20th over - Pakistan 158-5

Seven runs from the over but Pakistan's chase ends with something of a whimper. They fall well short.

Milne steps up to bowl the last six deliveries of the innings. Pakistan need 30 to win. Not going to happen, surely.

19th over - Pakistan 151-5

More incisive from Pakistan as Ahmed runs for six off McClenaghan's last over and Malik takes another three. The boundary drought continues unabated, however.

Ahmed is the new man in, by the way. He and Malik will have to put on a batting clinic to have any chance of victory here.

Pakistan now need 39 from these final two overs.

18th over - Pakistan 142-5

Akmal has totally failed to reignite this Pakistan innings. Without a single boundary to his name, he tries to pull off a big shot from Milne's low full toss but miscues it horribly and Guptill is alert at long-on to take his third catch of the evening.

The required run rate is now above 17 and it's looking very ominous indeed for Pakistan.

Wicket - Akmal (24) c Guptill b Milne (Pakistan 140-5)

17th over - Pakistan 137-4

Akmal is gifted a second run with his first shot of the over before notching another single. McClenaghan then sends down a useful dot ball before Malik slashes for two after a good stop in the deep from the agile Santner.

Three more from the over but Pakistan have long since stopped finding the boundaries.

16th over - Pakistan 129-4

Sodhi with the vital dismissal of Afridi, who tries to clear the rope before falling to an excellently-timed catch from Anderson stationed at long-off. Wonderful fielding.

Malik joins Akmal in the middle.

Wicket - Afridi (19) c Anderson b Sodhi (Pakistan 123-4)

15th over - Pakistan 123-3

Akmal helps himself to three before Afridi sends a low full toss through the gap for four.

McClenaghan returns after his earlier struggles against Khan.

14th over - Pakistan 115-3

Afridi is quickly doing his bit, punishing a short ball from Sodhi with a confident six over Guptill at mid-wicket. 11 in total there, but the skipper will need Akmal to chip in with his fair share of boundaries.

66 from 36 needed at 11 an over.

13th over - Pakistan 104-3

Eight runs and wicket from the over. An impatient Afridi hits his first four and snatches three more. A solitary single for Akmal.

Afridi is the next man up for Pakistan.

Shehzad's frustration finally tells and he goes for a big shot that is taken easily by Guptill at deep mid-wicket.

Wicket - Shehzad (30) c Guptill b Santner (Pakistan 96-3)

12th over - Pakistan 96-2

Khan's exit has reduced this Pakistan innings to a very pedestrian pace. Three for Shehzad there and two for Akmal. The required run rate continues to creep up.

Sodhi returns to the attack...

11th over - Pakistan 91-2

New Zealand's bowlers are now settling down nicely after that frantic beginning. Santner gives up just a couple of singles from that over, one each for Shehzad and Akmal.

10th over - Pakistan 89-2

A tighter over from Elliot. We have passed the halfway stage of this innings and Pakistan require 92 runs from the last 60 deliveries.

Ninth over - Pakistan 83-2

Two singles for Shehzad and one for Akmal. A wide from Santner down the leg-side makes it four runs for the over.

The underwhelming Latif walks for just three having picked out Elliot at long on after a dot ball. Akmal comes in to partner Shehzad.

Wicket - Latif (3) c Elliot b Santner (Pakistan 79-2)

Eighth over - Pakistan 79-1

Much better from Sodhi as he allows just three runs from his maiden over. Two for Shehzad, who moves on to 22, and one more for Latif.

Seventh over - Pakistan 76-1

Another new bowler goes for a first-ball boundary as Grant Elliott is knocked away for four by Shehzad. He picks up four more with some good running and Latif moves off nought with a couple of quick singles.

Sixth over - Pakistan 66-1

Latif is in for his first international appearance in any format since 2012.

Khan notches his ninth four of a swashbuckling innings but is then dismissed just three runs short of his 50 when a shot is edged high into the air and caught by the waiting Guptill at backward point. A crucial wicket for New Zealand.

Wicket - Khan (47) c Guptill b Milne (Pakistan 65-1)

Fifth over - Pakistan 61-0

10 more runs down as Anderson gives up four costly leg byes. He is then somewhat unlucky to see a thick outside edge from Shehzad dash through to the third man boundary.

Fourth over - Pakistan 51-0

This is really stirring stuff from left-hander Khan, who finds the rope three more times through square leg and over mid-wicket. He also lofts above fine leg.

If that was not quite enough, he then plunders his first six from a slower ball with a shot straight out of the middle of the bat. 42 from 19 is a wonderful opening.

Despite question marks over their batting, Pakistan have gone past 50 in just four overs.

McClenaghan is next up to try and stifle some of this early momentum built by Khan's impressive start.

Third over - Pakistan 33-0

Milne begins even worse than his teammates, hit for back-to-back fours by the intelligent Khan, who finishes with a quick single to cover.

Adam Milne into the attack now as Williamson seeks to profit from some real pace.

Second over - Pakistan 24-0

Similar treatment for Anderson as Shehzad gets in on the act by nudging away for his first four. He picks up two more and Khan edges for a single. One wide and a leg bye does not help New Zealand's early cause.

Anderson to bowl next.

First over - Pakistan 15-0

Not a good start for Santner by any stretch of the imagination as the first ball of the innings is slapped away to the fence by Khan. After two more runs and a wide, the 26-year-old then thunders a shot that just sneaks past Guptill on the leg-side boundary and finishes with a lovely straight drive for four more.

Just what the doctor ordered for Pakistan.

Pakistan openers Khan and Shehzad walk out to the crease. Santner to open the bowling for New Zealand.

Pakistan have it all to do if they are to avoid their second consecutive defeat, meanwhile. Their bowling and fielding was not really up to scratch for the most part - as evidenced by Amir's poor final figures of 0 for 41 - and they will need to bat very well indeed in pursuit of 181.

Sami's two for 23 was undoubtedly the highlight, although Irfan was also expensive having given up 46 from his four overs. Afridi was two for 40.

That was an impressive batting performance from New Zealand driven by a marvellous 48-ball 80 from explosive opener Guptill. Taylor's nifty 36 could also prove vital as the Black Caps look to become the first side to seal their place in the semi-finals of this year's T20 World Cup.

20th over - New Zealand 180-5

A very handy six from Taylor to start as he lifts the ball over long on. An edge then goes for four and New Zealand finish with 16 from their final over.

Taylor with 36 from 23 deliveries faced.

Amir bounds in for the 20th and final over. He has yet to take a wicket in this innings.

19th over - New Zealand 164-5

Wicket - Ronchi (11) c Malik b Sami (New Zealand 164-5)

The penultimate over from Sami is immeasurably better and yields only four runs. He also picks up his second wicket as a yorker outside of Ronchi's off-stump is mishit and taken very nicely by Malik at point.

18th over - New Zealand 160-4

These two are doing a fine job of producing consistently late in the innings. After Taylor takes three from one ball, Ronchi leathers down the ground for his first six. Not what Pakistan coach Waqar Younis wants to see.

17th over - New Zealand 146-4

Amir returns to the attack but his first delivery is hit well by Taylor for four. He notches 10 in total and Ronchi nicks a single through point. The scoreboard keeps ticking over.

16th over - New Zealand 135-4

New man Luke Ronchi is off the mark. Pakistan will likely fancy their chances of a strong finish with two new batsmen at the crease just trying to score as many as possible.

Like Guptill before him, Anderson flexes his muscles with a four through mid-wicket before being dismissed soon after. He tries to send Afridi down the ground for another boundary, but the connection is far from clean and that allows Shoaib Malik to take the catch.

Wicket - Anderson (21) c Malik b Afridi (New Zealand 132-4)

15th over - New Zealand 127-3

No runs from the rest of the over. Finally a platform from which Pakistan will hope to build quickly.

After blitzing past cover for four, Guptill finally falls after playing Sami's latest delivery on to his own stumps. A mightily influential innings finally comes to an end.

Can Pakistan take advantage?

Ross Taylor is in at five.

Wicket - Guptill (80) b Sami (New Zealand 127-3)

Guptill is now on 76 from 45 balls, including nine fours and three sixes. Not too shabby!

14th over - New Zealand 123-2

What a knock this is from Guptill. Two underwhelming Afridi deliveries are whacked away for four and he picks up 13 in total from the over.

Not bad from a man who was snubbed at the latest IPL auction in February.

13th over - New Zealand 110-2

Ahmed cannot stop a meaty Anderson edge from bolting away for four. After a single each, the Mumbai Indians batsman uses his power to blast through for another boundary. Lovely batting.

Irfan to inject some pace back into Pakistan's attack.

12th over - New Zealand 100-2

Good running from Anderson as he picks up six from Wasim's final over. Just a single for the influential Guptill and New Zealand bring up their ton.

11th over - New Zealand 93-2

After surviving a hearty lbw appeal from Afridi and Ahmed, Guptill confidently scores 12 more, including two fours.

He's now moved on to 61 from 37 deliveries.

10th over - New Zealand 81-2

Umar Akmal hits the stumps with a direct hit, but the television umpire rules that Anderson was in by a distance. Five runs from the over.

Ninth over - New Zealand 76-2

An interesting over for Munro as he edges Afridi just past wicket-keeper Ahmed. With no-one in the slip cordon, the ball rolls through to the third man boundary for four.

After then deciding to pull out of a switch hit at the last second, he commits to it with the next delivery but a flat shot is taken comfortably by sweeper cover Khan.

Corey Anderson is the next man up.

Wicket - Munro (7) c Khan b Afridi (New Zealand 75-2)

Captain Afridi to bowl next.

Eighth over - New Zealand 69-1

A wicket for Pakistan, but they also ship nine more as Guptill just about dispatches a fuller ball through the gap at slip for four. Colin Munro, batting at three, gets off the mark with two.

Williamson tries to punish a slower ball from Irfan down the ground but succeeds only in picking out Afridi at cover for a straightforward catch. Finally some joy for this toiling Pakistan attack.

Wicket - Williamson (17) c Afridi b Irfan (New Zealand 62-1)

Seventh over - New Zealand 60-0

Four runs for Williamson and a quick single for Guptill off Wasim. Not as costly an over but Pakistan could really do with making that first breakthrough very soon. New Zealand look capable of posting a big score in Mohali.

Sixth over - New Zealand 55-0

Sami makes a good start to his second over, but he also falls victim to Guptill as the New Zealand opener drives down the ground emphatically for his third six of the innings. He follows that up with a pull shot that races away for four. Just 12 away from his half-century now.

Fifth over - New Zealand 44-0

Just as it seems that Wasim's clever spin is having the desired effect, Guptill crashes another monster six over long on. He looks in the mood today.

Wasim does indeed come into the attack at the expense of Amir. The left-arm spinner needs to stem this flow of early runs.

Fourth over - New Zealand 35-0

Painful for Sami as he concedes four leg byes and eight in total from the over. Afridi needs to get hold of his quick bowlers here. Wasim imminent?

Mohammad Sami, who took two wickets in as many deliveries against India with the dismissals of Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina, to take over from Irfan now.

Third over - New Zealand 27-0

Guptill is really finding his rhythm now and Amir is being put to the sword. The experienced 29-year-old notches three fours in the space of five deliveries. An additional single takes him on to 20.

Second over - New Zealand 14-0

No such caution from Guptill there as he smashes a quite enormous six over long on that clatters into the sidescreen. Williamson opens up with a couple before cutting nicely through point for his first four.

13 off the over. The Black Caps are off and running.

Irfan up next for Pakistan.

First over - New Zealand 1-0

A solid first over from the dangerous Amir as he bowls to Guptill with decent length outside off stump. Just a single from the first six deliveries.

Amir to bowl first...

The national anthems are complete. Guptill and Williamson will open the batting for New Zealand.

Pakistan: Shehzad, Khan, Latif, Akmal, Malik, Ahmed, Afridi (c), Wasim, Amir, Sami, Irfan

New Zealand: Guptill, Williamson (c), Munro, Anderson, Taylor, Elliot, Santner, Ronchi, Milne, McClenaghan, Sodhi

There is no Tim Southee or Trent Boult again for Mike Hesson's side today, despite the pitch at Mohali generally regarded as being more receptive to fast bowlers.

So, New Zealand win the toss and elect to bat first. The Black Caps are unchanged from their win over Australia, although Hafeez and Riaz do indeed miss out.

Wasim and opener Khalid Latif are drafted in.

Pakistan, who will need their top-order to be in fine fettle today, were accused of badly misreading the pitch in Kolkata and many lamented the decision to drop spinner Emad Wasim. They boast a formidable pace attack, of course, with the likes of Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Irfan.

Feared leggie Yasir Shah was ruled out of the entire tournament in February after being handed a three-month suspension for failing a drugs test.

Pakistan have two injury concerns ahead of today's match. Hafeez is said to be dealing with a bone contusion in his femur, while left-arm pacer Wahab Riaz was accidentally struck by a ball between his neck and shoulder during a practice session in Mohali on Monday.

He was taken to a private hospital for a precautionary scan and later given the all-clear. The fitness of both players was expected to be assessed this afternoon.

Despite their current run, third-ranked New Zealand have only won one of their four previous T20 World Cup internationals against Pakistan.

They did, however, beat the Men in Green 2-1 during a three-match series on home soil in January before also winning two ODI contests.

Then came the small matter of a meeting with arch-rivals India at Eden Gardens in a match that was reduced to 18 overs per side and watched by an estimated one billion people worldwide.

On a pitch that turned wildly after heavy rain, Pakistan struggled with the bat early on and made 118-5. They reduced their neighbours to 23-3 in response, but were powerless to resist as the quality of Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh eased India to a six-wicket victory.

Pakistan, meanwhile, have endured a rather mixed start. They crushed Bangladesh by 55 runs in Kolkata, with Ahmed Shehzad making 52 and Mohammad Hafeez adding 64 before skipper Shahid Afridi powered 49 from just 19 balls.

Chasing 202 for victory, the Tigers finished on 146-6 with Mohammad Amir and Afridi each taking two wickets apiece.

With that upset under their belts, a confident New Zealand then beat Australia by eight runs in a thrilling Antipodean derby in Dharamsala.

Martin Guptill hit a 27-ball 39 as they closed on another modest total of 142-8 and they looked to be heading to defeat at the hands of their local rivals before a collapse that saw the Aussies fall from 44-1 to 134-9 from their 20 overs.

Mitchell McClenaghan and Santner were influential with the ball, as was Anderson. Sodhi took one wicket and shipped just 14 runs from his four overs.

The Black Caps, losing semi-finalists back in 2007, have made a hugely impressive start to this year's tournament and currently sit top of Group 2 with a 100% record and a net run rate of +1.375.

Kane Williamson's side made just 126-7 during their opener against India in Nagpur last week, with Corey Anderson one of only two batsman to notch over 20 runs. Despite that rather modest performance, however, they still managed to shock the hosts and favourites with a 47-run victory by bowling them out for an abysmal 79.

Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner finished with figures of four for 11, while Ish Sodhi took three for 18 and Nathan McCullum chipped in with two for 15.

Good afternoon and welcome to IBTimes UK's latest live coverage of the ICC World Twenty20 2016 and a pivotal Group 2 match-up between New Zealand and Pakistan at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali.

Today's contest is set to get underway at 19.30 IST (14.00 GMT), so stay tuned for previews, teams, all the build-up and over-by-over updates...