Cricket – India Dominate Pakistan by 61 Runs in T20 World Cup Clash
Cricket – India delivered a commanding performance against Pakistan in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, securing a comprehensive 61-run victory in Colombo and strengthening their position at the top of Group A. The win also extended India’s dominant record over their rivals in tournament history to 8-1.
India Set the Tone with Competitive Total
Batting first after Pakistan opted to field, India faced an early setback when Abhishek Sharma departed without scoring. However, Ishan Kishan steadied the innings with a composed yet aggressive knock of 77 runs. Tilak Varma supported him with a measured 25, helping India recover from early pressure.
Despite losing wickets at regular intervals and slipping to 126/4 — including the dismissal of Hardik Pandya for a duck — India managed to rebuild in the latter stages. Captain Suryakumar Yadav, along with Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh, ensured a strong finish. Their calculated stroke play in challenging conditions pushed India to 175/7 in 20 overs.
For Pakistan, Saim Ayub was the standout bowler, claiming 3 wickets for 25 runs. Yet, the total proved to be more than competitive on a surface offering assistance to spinners.
Waqar Younis Points to First Innings as Decisive Phase
Former Pakistan fast bowler Waqar Younis, speaking on JioStar, suggested that the outcome was largely determined during India’s innings. According to him, the 175-run target was beyond Pakistan’s reach given the nature of the pitch.
He observed that the ball was gripping and turning, making stroke play increasingly difficult under lights. Waqar also praised India’s tactical awareness, highlighting Suryakumar Yadav’s bowling rotations. The decision to hand the new ball to Hardik Pandya paid immediate dividends, while Jasprit Bumrah’s disciplined spells kept constant pressure on Pakistan’s batters.
Waqar described Bumrah’s effort as consistently impactful, noting his ability to attack the stumps while extracting movement off the surface.
Questions Over Pakistan’s Bowling Strategy
Waqar further remarked that Pakistan may have delayed deploying mystery spinner Usman Tariq, who eventually returned figures of 1 for 24. By the time Tariq entered the attack, Ishan Kishan had already inflicted substantial damage.
He noted that Pakistan’s bowlers were able to generate turn similar to India’s attack but failed to apply it as effectively. In his view, earlier use of spin options could have restricted India to a more manageable score.
Waqar added that Pakistan’s batting lineup has struggled for consistency, and chasing a lower target in the range of 140 to 150 might have offered a more balanced contest.
Early Collapse Derails Pakistan’s Chase
Pakistan’s pursuit of 176 never gained momentum. India’s bowlers struck quickly, reducing their opponents to 34/4 in the powerplay. Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Axar Patel combined to dismantle the top order.
Usman Khan attempted to anchor the innings with a fighting 44 off 34 balls, including six boundaries and a six. However, he found little support from the other end. Pakistan were eventually bowled out for 114 in 18 overs.
Axar Patel emerged as the most effective bowler with figures of 2/29 in four overs. Hardik Pandya (2/16), Jasprit Bumrah (2/17), and Varun Chakaravarthy (2/17) also contributed significantly to the rout.
Standings and Tournament Outlook
With three wins in as many matches, India have comfortably advanced to the Super 8 stage and remain unbeaten in Group A. Pakistan, meanwhile, slipped to third place with two victories and one defeat. The United States currently hold second position with two wins and two losses.
The result reinforces India’s strong campaign in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, while Pakistan will need to reassess both strategy and execution as the tournament progresses.