Colombo (Rajeev Sharma): India delivered a dominant all-round performance to defeat Pakistan by 61 runs and secure qualification for the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup 2026 in Colombo on Sunday.
Batting first, India put up a strong total on the back of a blistering half-century from Ishan Kishan. He provided early momentum, while Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh chipped in with valuable contributions to push the score to a competitive level.
In response, Pakistan’s chase never gained momentum after a dramatic early collapse. Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah struck inside the first two overs to reduce Pakistan to 13 for 3, putting the side under immediate pressure.
The Indian bowling unit maintained tight control through the middle overs, with the spinners tightening the screws. Axar Patel removed the well-set Usman Khan for 44, while Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy picked up key wickets as Pakistan’s batting line-up crumbled.
Despite brief resistance from the lower order, Pakistan were eventually bowled out for 114, with Pandya returning to finish the innings.
The comprehensive victory ensured India’s progression to the Super 8s and significantly boosted their position in the group standings, while Pakistan slipped to third place and now face a must-win scenario to stay in contention.
The result also underlined India’s bowling strength, with the pace attack setting the tone early and the spin department controlling the game in the middle phase.
