India marched into the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup with a dominant 61-run win over Pakistan, registering their biggest victory by runs against their arch-rivals in T20Is. The result also extended India’s head-to-head record over Pakistan in T20 World Cups to an emphatic 8-1.
On a slow and gripping surface at the Premadasa Stadium, Ishan Kishan played a decisive hand after India were asked to bat first. The innings began on a shaky note with India slipping to 0/1, but Kishan took responsibility and shifted the momentum. His fluent 77 off just 40 balls combined power with smart placement, allowing India to post a competitive 175 for 7 a total that looked well above par on a tacky pitch.
Pakistan’s chase never truly got going. Jasprit Bumrah tore through the top order with a fiery spell, dismantling the backbone of the batting line-up. With tight support from the rest of the bowling unit, including Hardik Pandya, India kept the pressure relentless. Pakistan were eventually bowled out for 114 in 18 overs, falling well short of the target.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav said the team executed its plans perfectly. “I think this is for India. We played the brand of cricket we wanted. Batting first was the better option on this wicket. After 0/1, someone had to take responsibility and the way Ishan did that was amazing,” he said.
He added that the team believed they were around 15 runs above par and praised the collective bowling effort. “It was great to see everyone contributing. We’ll regroup and then think about the upcoming games.”
Pakistan captain Salman Agha admitted execution cost his side the game. “Our spinners had an off day. Execution was missing in parts. We lost too many wickets in the powerplay. The pitch was tacky and the ball was gripping, but we didn’t execute well with the ball,” he said.
Kishan, who was named Player of the Match, said adapting to conditions was key. “The wicket was not that easy. Sometimes you just have to believe in your strengths. India-Pakistan is always special for us and the country. Winning this gives us confidence going forward,” he said.
With this commanding win, India advance to the Super Eight with momentum on their side, while Pakistan now need a victory or a washout in their final group game against Namibia to keep their campaign alive.
