India secured a dominant 61-run victory over Pakistan in their high-voltage encounter at the R. Premadasa Stadium during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Defending a target of 176, the India national cricket team bowled out the Pakistan national cricket team for just 114 in 18 overs.
Pakistan’s chase never gained momentum.
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Sahibzada Farhan was dismissed for a duck in the opening over. Saim Ayub hit a quick six but fell for 6, while captain Salman Agha managed only 4 runs.
Babar Azam struggled for rhythm and was bowled for 5 runs only. Pakistan were reduced to 34/4 inside five overs, putting them under early pressure.
Wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan showed resistance with a fighting 44 off 34 balls, hitting six boundaries and one six. However, wickets kept falling at regular intervals.
Shadab Khan scored 14, while Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf failed to build partnerships. Shaheen Shah Afridi remained unbeaten on 23 off 19 balls, but the lower order could not prevent defeat. Pakistan were bowled out for 114, finishing well short of the 176-run target.
India’s Bowlers Seal the Match
India’s bowling unit delivered a disciplined and aggressive performance. Hardik Pandya picked up 2 wickets for 16 runs in three overs. Jasprit Bumrah struck twice early to dent Pakistan’s top order.
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Axar Patel claimed two important wickets, including Babar Azam and Usman Khan. Varun Chakravarthy also impressed with two wickets, while Kuldeep Yadav and Tilak Varma chipped in with one wicket each.
The collective bowling effort ensured Pakistan never recovered from the early setbacks. India maintained tight lines and used spin effectively on the Colombo surface.
With this victory, India qualify for the super eight. Pakistan, meanwhile, will need to regroup quickly before in the do or die match with Namebia to stay in contention for the qualification.
The latest chapter of the India-Pakistan rivalry once again delivered intensity, but this time it was India who dominated with both bat and ball.
