Colombo: India continued their dominance over arch-rivals Pakistan in the T20 World Cup, registering a commanding 61-run victory at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday.
In a high-voltage clash played against the backdrop of political tension and boycott threats, India once again proved superior on the field, extending their unbeaten record against Pakistan in the tournament to 11 matches.
The emphatic win also confirmed India’s place in the Super 8 stage, underlining their strong start to the campaign.
Ishan Kishan’s swashbuckling innings of 77 set up India’s big win against Pakistan👊
He wins the @aramco POTM🏅
📝: https://t.co/KnKBflF2Dn pic.twitter.com/j27F2IJWrI
— ICC (@ICC) February 15, 2026
Bowlers Seal the Deal
Defending 175, India’s bowlers delivered a disciplined and clinical performance to bowl Pakistan out for 114 in 18 overs. The chase never truly gathered momentum, with wickets falling at regular intervals.
Usman Khan fought a lone battle with 44 runs, while Shaheen Afridi (23), Shadab Khan (14), and Faheem Ashraf (10) were the only others to reach double figures. The rest of the batting line-up struggled to cope with India’s sharp bowling attack.
Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakaravarthy shared the spoils, picking up two wickets each and ensuring Pakistan remained under constant pressure throughout the innings.
Ishan Sets the Tone
Earlier, India had a shaky start after Abhishek Sharma fell for a duck in the opening over. However, Ishan Kishan steadied the innings with a fluent 77 off 40 balls. His knock, laced with 10 boundaries and three sixes, shifted the momentum firmly in India’s favor.
Partnering with Tilak Varma, who contributed 25, Ishan stitched together an 87-run stand for the second wicket. Their partnership rebuilt the innings and provided a solid platform.
After Ishan’s departure, skipper Suryakumar Yadav added 32 runs, guiding the middle overs with composure. Though India lost a couple of quick wickets towards the end, they managed to post a competitive 175/7 in 20 overs.
Pakistan’s strategy of relying heavily on spin bowling 18 overs of spin in the innings was a notable talking point, setting a new T20I record. However, the plan did little to halt India’s scoring.
3️⃣/3️⃣ for #TeamIndia 💙
The #MenInBlue win by 6️⃣1️⃣ runs to qualify for Super 8! 💪
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/IgYYH0TeR9 #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/hFPqtYIERe
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 15, 2026
What’s Next?
India will now face the Netherlands on February 18 at the Narendra Modi Stadium to conclude their group stage campaign. Pakistan, meanwhile, takes on Namibia on the same day, hoping to keep their tournament hopes alive.
