India's defending champions secured their spot in the T20 World Cup Super Eight stage with a 61-run victory over Pakistan at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, extending their unbeaten run to three matches.
Ishan Kishan's 77 set the tone early, lifting India to 175-7 in their 20 overs. Pakistan's spin-heavy attack tightened the screws after Kishan's departure, but the target remained steep. When India's bowlers took the field, the match became one-sided. Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah dismantled Pakistan's top order, leaving them at 13-3 within two overs. Usman Khan's 44 offered brief resistance, but Pakistan were bowled out for 114 in 18 overs.
The match carried weight beyond the scorecard. Pakistan had initially signaled a boycott in solidarity with Bangladesh, whose team had declined to tour India over security concerns. That decision was reversed hours before the toss, allowing the fixture to proceed. The tension lingered in small gestures—India's captain Suryakumar Yadav and Pakistan's Salman Ali Agha declined to shake hands at the coin flip.
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Start Your News DetoxIndia's third consecutive win positions them strongly as the tournament enters its knockout phase. Momentum in cricket tournaments compounds, and the defending champions have built the kind of form that travels.
