Dominant bowling and batting display seals win for India
In a high-voltage encounter that lived up to the hype for Indian fans, the Men in Blue secured a resounding victory against arch-rivals Pakistan in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Playing at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, India defeated Pakistan by a massive margin of 61 runs, maintaining their dominance in the global tournament.
Ishan Kishan Sets the Stage
Pakistan won the toss and elected to field first, a decision that initially seemed to work as opener Abhishek Sharma departed early for a duck. However, Ishan Kishan had other plans. The wicketkeeper-batter played a sensational knock, smashing 77 runs off just 40 balls. His aggressive innings, which included 10 boundaries and 3 sixes, anchored the Indian innings.
While wickets fell at regular intervals at the other end, cameos from Suryakumar Yadav (32) and Shivam Dube (27) helped propel the team to a competitive total. Despite a flurry of wickets in the death overs, India posted a formidable 175/7 in their 20 overs. Pakistan’s Saim Ayub was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3 wickets, but the target proved too steep for his batting lineup.
Bowlers dismantle Pakistan Lineup
Chasing 176, Pakistan’s batting order collapsed under pressure from the Indian bowling attack. The pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya struck early, removing the top order cheaply. Pakistan was reduced to 34/4 within the powerplay, with star batter Babar Azam managing only 5 runs.
Usman Khan offered some resistance with a fighting 44 off 34 balls, but he lacked support from the other end. The Indian bowlers hunted in a pack, with Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakravarthy all claiming two wickets each. The disciplined bowling effort bowled Pakistan out for just 114 runs in 18 overs.
This emphatic win boosts India's net run rate in Group A and sends a strong message to other teams in the tournament. Odisha cricket fans and supporters across the nation are celebrating yet another memorable win over their neighbours.
Image Source: ESPN / ICC / Getty Images
