New Delhi: Under the blue skies of Colombo, Team India delivered another dominant performance against arch-rivals Pakistan, registering a convincing 61-run victory at the R. Premadasa Stadium. Led by captain Suryakumar Yadav, India notched up their third consecutive win in the tournament, with Ishan Kishan emerging as the undisputed star of the night.
After being put in to bat by Pakistan skipper Salman Agha, India faced a unique challenge as Pakistan deployed as many as six spin options on a tricky surface. The move initially paid dividends, with opener Abhishek Sharma dismissed for a duck. However, Kishan had other plans.
Taking charge of the innings, Kishan countered the spin-heavy attack with authority, using sweeps and reverse sweeps to perfection. His explosive 77-run knock — studded with three sixes and ten boundaries — marked his fourth T20 half-century and powered India to a competitive total of 175. Remarkably, he scored 42 of India’s 52 runs in the powerplay, registering the highest individual powerplay score in an India-Pakistan T20 clash.
Pakistan’s pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi bowled just two overs, conceding 31 runs, as the team relied heavily on spin through Abrar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usman Tariq and others. Though the strategy kept other Indian batters relatively quiet, Kishan’s aggressive approach tilted the momentum decisively.
In response, Pakistan faltered under disciplined Indian bowling and were bundled out for 114 in just 18 overs. The comprehensive victory not only reinforced India’s dominance but also electrified the large contingent of Indian fans who had turned Colombo into a sea of blue.
With momentum firmly on their side, Team India continue to march ahead confidently in the tournament.
