By Asif Naveed
COLOMBO (MNN); Defending champions India outclassed Pakistan by 61 runs in a much-anticipated Group A encounter at the Twenty20 World Cup on Sunday, sealing their place in the Super Eight stage with authority.
The marquee clash between the arch-rivals failed to match its pre-game hype, as India continued their dominance with a commanding performance. With this victory, India improved their record to 8-1 against Pakistan in T20 World Cup history.
Batting first at the R. Premadasa Stadium, India posted a formidable 175-7, powered by opener Ishan Kishan’s explosive 77. Pakistan opted for a spin-heavy strategy, deploying six spinners who bowled 18 of the 20 overs.
India were boosted by the return of Abhishek Sharma, who had missed the first two matches due to illness, but he was dismissed for a duck after being trapped lbw by Salman, who surprisingly opened the bowling.
Despite Pakistan using three spinners during the powerplay to restrict scoring, Kishan launched a fierce counterattack. The left-hander raced to his second consecutive half-century of the tournament in just 27 balls. Saim Ayub eventually ended Kishan’s 40-ball blitz and later removed Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya in successive deliveries to briefly revive Pakistan’s hopes.
However, contributions from Suryakumar Yadav (32) and Shivam Dube (27) ensured India posted a challenging total.
In response, Pakistan became the first team in T20 World Cup history to use six spinners in a match. While they managed to keep India under 200, their chase unraveled quickly as they slumped to 13-3 within two overs.
Hardik Pandya dismissed Sahibzada Farhan for a duck, while Jasprit Bumrah struck twice in one over to remove Ayub and Salman. Captain Babar Azam fell cheaply, leaving Pakistan struggling at 38-4 after the powerplay.
Usman Khan fought back with a resilient 44, but Axar Patel’s sharp work resulted in his stumping, effectively ending Pakistan’s hopes of a comeback.
After the match, Salman admitted that Pakistan’s spinners failed to execute their plans effectively, saying they had “an off day” despite strong performances over the past six months.
India’s comprehensive win reaffirmed their status as tournament favorites as they marched confidently into the Super Eight round.
