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In the high-octane T20 World Cup 2026 match against Pakistan, Team India emerged victorious by 61 runs at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo.
During the match, Team India`s opening batsman, Ishan Kishan, played a knock of 77 runs off just 40 deliveries, which was laced with 10 boundaries and three maximums.
Reflecting on his knock, Ravi Shastri heaped praise by saying he is batting like a dream at the moment.
“He`s batting like a dream at the moment. Striking on that track (Colombo pitch) at close to 200 is unreal. Every batter didn`t find it easy, whether it was Indian or Pakistani, because the ball was stopping and for him to strike the way he did, and what I liked was how quickly he assessed the conditions,” he said.
Coming to the India vs Pakistan match, Pakistan won the toss and elected to field first. After Abhishek was out for a duck, Ishan`s 77 and Tilak Varma`s 25 kept India stable, but the Men in Blue sank to 126/4, losing their set batters and all-rounder Hardik Pandya (0).
However, skipper Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, and Rinku Singh finished the innings well, pacing their knocks perfectly in tough conditions. India scored 175/7, with Saim Ayub (3/25) being the top bowler for Pakistan.
In the run-chase, Pakistan were reduced to 34/4 courtesy early strikes from Hardik, Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel. Usman Khan (44 in 34 balls, with six fours and a six) was the only one who showed up for the fight, as Team India packed Pakistan for just 114 runs in 18 overs, progressing to the Super 8 stage with their third successive win.
Axar Patel (2/29 in four overs) was the pick of the bowlers for India, with Hardik (2/16 in three overs), Bumrah (2/17 in two overs), and Varun Chakaravarthy (2/17 in three overs) also being amongst the wickets.
The victory also helped the “Men in Blue” to qualify for the “Super 8” stage of the T20 World Cup 2026. So far in the tournament, they have played three matches and have secured wins in as many games. Team India is enjoying the top spot in Group A with a net run rate (NRR) of +3.050 and six points.
T20 World Cup 2026: Team India`s upcoming fixture
Suryakumar Yadav-led men will now lock horns with the Netherlands on February 18 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
(With ANI Inputs)
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