An explosive assault from Ishan Kishan and a ruthless bowling performance turned the much-hyped India–Pakistan clash into a one-sided affair as India cruised to a commanding 61-run victory in their Group A encounter of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the R Premadasa Stadium on Saturday night.
Invited to bat first on a used surface, India posted a formidable 175 for 7, a total that Pakistan were never truly in contention to chase. By the 10-over mark, the visitors were already reeling at 71 for 4, still needing an improbable 105 from the remaining overs. The collapse only worsened as wickets fell in clusters, Pakistan eventually crumbling under sustained pressure.
Pakistan’s chase began in disastrous fashion. By the end of the second over, they were 13 for 3. Hardik Pandya struck early, removing the in-form Sahibzada Farhan for a four-ball duck in his opening over. The very next over saw Jasprit Bumrah deliver a decisive double blow, dismissing Saim Ayub and captain Salman Ali Agha, plunging Pakistan into deep trouble.
Any hopes of a recovery were short-lived. Babar Azam briefly steadied the innings before Axar Patel bowled him through the gate, leaving Pakistan tottering at 34 for 4 by the end of the fifth over. The Powerplay summed up their woes: just 38 runs for the loss of four wickets. Pakistan were bowled out for 114 in the 18th over.
Indian spinners then tightened the noose, bowling probing lines on the slowing pitch as wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals. What was billed as a blockbuster contest quickly became a procession, much to the disappointment of a packed house that had arrived expecting a classic.
Earlier, on a surface bearing the scars of earlier matches, Agha’s decision to bowl first appeared inspired when he removed Abhishek Sharma with the very first ball of the innings, momentarily silencing the sea of Indian blue in the stands.
That hush did not last long.
Kishan counter-attacked with ferocious intent, launching into Shaheen Shah Afridi in the second over and plundering 15 runs to seize early momentum. Partnering Tilak Varma, the left-hander added a match-defining 87-run stand off just 46 balls. Kishan led the charge, racing to a dazzling 76 off 38 deliveries, striking 10 fours and three sixes in an innings of controlled aggression.
Pakistan’s lone bright spark with the ball was Saim Ayub, who broke the partnership and finished with impressive figures of 3 for 24 from four overs. He also accounted for Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya, briefly halting India’s surge. However, Pakistan’s decision to operate with six spinners backfired, as the likes of Mohammed Nawaz, Shadab Khan and Abrar Ahmed failed to apply sustained pressure.
Late contributions from Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube ensured India finished strongly, while Afridi, despite an expensive spell, claimed Axar Patel off the final ball to end the innings.
Off the field, the match carried added tension following Pakistan’s initial threat to boycott the game after the ICC voted to remove Bangladesh from the 20-team tournament before a last-minute U-turn following high-level negotiations involving Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. A massive, predominantly Indian crowd filled the stands in Colombo, and while they celebrated a comprehensive victory, the contest itself failed to deliver the drama befitting its billing.
Chief Scores
India – 175/7 (20 overs)
Ishan Kishan 77 (40 balls, 10×4, 3×6)
Suryakumar Yadav 32 (29 balls)
Shivam Dube 27 (17 balls)
Tilak Varma 25 (24 balls)
Saim Ayub 3/25,
Usman Tariq 1/24
Pakistan – 114 all out (18 overs)
Usman Khan 44 (34 balls, 6×4, 1×6)
Shaheen Shah Afridi 23* (19 balls)
Hardik Pandya 2/16
Jasprit Bumrah 2/17
Axar Patel 2/29
Varun Chakravarthy 2/17
Kuldeep Yadav 1/14
Result: India won by 61 runs
