India wallop hapless Pakistan by 61 runs to cruise to Super 8s

Colombo: Ishan Kishan's 77 off 40 balls at the top and some poor and reckless batting by Pakistan batsmen helped India win their league encounter against their arch-rivals by a record 61-run margin at the T20 World Cup at the R Premadasa Stadium here.

This is India's biggest margin of victory against Pakistan in T20 World Cup history.

Defending 176, India’s pace bowlers Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah struck early, sharing three wickets in their opening spells to pile immediate pressure on Pakistan. Pandya set the tone by removing Sahibzada Farhan for a four-ball duck in the very first over. Bumrah soon followed up with the scalps of Saim Ayub and Pakistan skipper Salman Agha.

The squeeze continued when Axar Patel struck in the powerplay, dismissing the experienced Babar Azam to leave Pakistan reeling four down.

Amid the collapse, wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan counterattacked, finding boundaries against the flow of play to steady the innings. His 44 off 34 balls, studded with six fours and a six, kept Pakistan in the hunt in Colombo. However, just as momentum seemed to shift, Axar intervened again. Tempting Usman to come down the track, he beat him in flight, and Ishan Kishan completed a sharp stumping.

The wickets continued to fall. Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Mohammad Nawaz with Shivam Dube taking the catch, while Tilak Varma struck in his first over to remove Shadab Khan. Varun Chakaravarthy then claimed two quick wickets to leave Pakistan nine down. Fittingly, Pandya returned to finish the job, sealing a commanding 61-run victory for the co-hosts and defending champions.

Earlier, powered by a blistering knock from Kishan, India posted 175/7 — the highest total in an India–Pakistan clash in ICC Men's T20 World Cup history.

After electing to bowl, Salman Agha surprised many by taking the new ball himself. The move worked instantly as he dismissed Abhishek Sharma for just one run — Sharma’s second duck of the tournament. India responded strongly, collecting 15 runs off Shaheen Shah Afridi’s next over.

Kishan, continuing his fine form, unleashed a dazzling 77 off 40 deliveries, combining clean power with clever placement. His innings featured three sixes and ten fours, giving India the perfect platform.

On a sluggish surface where Pakistan deployed six spin options, leg-spinner Saim Ayub emerged as a key figure. He bowled Kishan and then removed Tilak Varma and Pandya off successive deliveries, nearly claiming a hat-trick. Usman Tariq, Agha and Afridi chipped in with a wicket each.

In the middle overs, Suryakumar Yadav (32) and Tilak Varma (25) maintained momentum, before late cameos from Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh propelled India past the 170-mark.

India also strengthened their spin department for the contest, drafting in Kuldeep Yadav in place of Arshdeep Singh.

Tags : Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Cricket, India vs Pakistan, T20 World Cup, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Salman Agha