India-Pakistan a total anti-climax

Monday, 16 February 2026 02:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Babar Azam is castled by Axar Patel

Player of the Match Ishan Kishan hits on the off side

Saim Ayub (right) struck twice in two balls for Pakistan

Pakistan fall flat on their face to lose by 61 runs

For all the pre-match build up that took place before the contest, the India vs. Pakistan T20 World Cup game played at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium (RPICS) yesterday proved to be a total flop.

Pakistan was outplayed in all departments by India to lose by 61 runs and this was not the first time it has happened in contests between the two countries. The score line after 17 T20Is stands at 14 wins to India and three to Pakistan.

Invited to bat first, Pakistan did well to keep India to a total of 175-7 but Pakistan were rather poor in their reply, being bowled out for a disappointing 114, making it a totally one-sided contest that failed to live up to its hype.

Pakistan were no match for this Indian side. Many expected a close contest since this was at the RPICS and in conditions which suited spin. Pakistan had five of them and they were confident going into the match. But all that was torn apart by Pakistan’s inept performance with the bat. They brainlessly tried to take on Jasprit Bumrah in the powerplay and lost two wickets to him in one over.

Immediately, Pakistan were on the back foot and more shoddy batting followed. On long square boundaries and against top-class Indian spinners, they attempted to slog their way and paid the price. Only Usman Khan played well (44 off 34 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) and once he went, the game was all but over from a Pakistani viewpoint.

India would have been pleased with their bowling outing. Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya set the tone, before Axar Patel bagged Babar Azam. He returned to remove Usman Khan soon afterwards, and once those wickets had fallen, an Indian victory seemed a matter of when, rather than if.

In India’s innings, Player of the Match Ishan Kishan played a blinder of an innings, smashing his way to 77 off 40 balls (10 fours, 3 sixes). India made 52 in the powerplay and Kishan smashed 42 of them off his own bat. If not for his bold cricket, India could have finished around 160 as the other batters found the going tough. Tilak Varma played second fiddle to Ishan in an 87 off 46 balls partnership.

Suryakumar Yadav and Varma nudged around to drag the innings deep but Saim Ayub dismissed Tilak and Pandya off successive balls to put the brakes. Shivam Dube and Yadav had to nudge around again before Dube managed a few timely hits. Rinku Singh had a good finish in the end off Shaheen Afridi. Usman Tariq may not have taken a lot of wickets but he made it tough for the batters to score and Saim Ayub was outstanding with his variations. Pakistan had to be disappointed with Afridi and Shadab Khan, who leaked runs.

With yesterday’s win, India qualified for the Super 8. – [ST]

Scores:

India 175-7 (20) (Ishan Kishan 77, Tilak Varma 25, Suryakumar Yadav 32, Shivam Dube 27, Saim Ayub 3/25)

Pakistan 114 (18) (Usman Khan 44, Shaheen Afridi 23*, Hardik Pandya 2/16, Jasprit Bumrah 2/17, Axar Patel 2/29, Varun Chakravarthy 2/17)