India continued their T20 World Cup dominance of Pakistan with a thumping 61-run victory in Colombo sealing the defending champions and tournament favourites’ spot in the Super 8s.
India – who rolled Pakistan for 114 in a chase of 176 – have won eight of their nine games against their rivals across all editions of this competition, and 16 from 17 if 50-over World Cups are also included, with the only blemish a 10-wicket drubbing in Dubai in 2021.
This latest fixture between the cricketing heavyweights only took place after Pakistan reversed their decision to boycott, having initially said they would not play in response to the ICC’s decision to remove Bangladesh from the event for refusing to travel to India.
In the end, the result was familiar, with Hardik Pandya (2-16) clinching India’s triumph when he cleaned up Usman Tariq for a duck after two dropped catches earlier in the 18th over.
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There were no handshakes during the toss between respective captains Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Ali Agha
India posted 175-7 after losing the toss – at which there were no captains’ handshakes, just like in last year’s Asia Cup – as Ishan Kishan pumped 77 from 40 balls at the top of the order.
Pakistan, for whom spinner Saim Ayub bagged 3-25 and came ever so close to a hat-trick in the 15th over, suffered a dreadful start to the chase, plummeting to 13-3 in two overs with Saim (6) pinned lbw by Jasprit Bumrah (2-17) one ball after smoking a six.
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Pakistan spinner Saim Ayub was so close to claiming a World Cup hat-trick against India in Colombo
Pakistan subsided in reply amid a blizzard of rash shots as they suffered a first loss of the World Cup after wins over Netherlands and USA, although they will book a Super 8s spot if they avoid an upset against Namibia in Colombo on Wednesday (9.30am UK).
India have three victories from as many matches after labouring past USA and thrashing Namibia, with Suryakumar Yadav’s men to conclude round one against Netherlands in Ahmedabad on Wednesday (1.30pm UK).
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Jasprit Bumrah struck twice in the second over as Pakistan’s run chase got off to an awful start
Batter Kishan and bowling attack drive India to comprehensive win
India – co-hosting this tournament with Sri Lanka – raced to 51-1 in their powerplay as Kishan clubbed boundaries, predominantly through the leg-side, after opening partner Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for a second successive T20 international duck having also failed to score in the victory over USA on the first weekend.
Pakistan, in stark contrast, were 38-4 from six overs in the chase, with Sahibzada Farhan (0) holing out off Hardik Bumrah removing Saim and Salman Agha (4), and Axar Patel castling Babar Azam (5).
The top-order meltdown came after Pakistan had fought back with the ball once Saim bowled Kishan with a sharply-turning delivery in the ninth over – Kishan trudging off having cracked 10 fours and three sixes and reached fifty from 27 balls.
India opener Ishan Kishan hit 10 fours and three sixes in his knock of 77 from 40 balls
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India opener Abhishek Sharma bagged back-to-back T20 World Cup ducks after failing to score against Pakistan
Saim pinned Tilak Varma (25 off 24) lbw on the sweep in the 15th over before Hardik was caught in the deep for a golden duck next ball, while he then thought he had completed a hat-trick by nicking off Shivam Dube (27 off 17) only for a review to show no edge.
Dube, Suryakumar (32 off 29) and Rinku Singh (11no off four) took India to a winning total, while unconventional Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq, who bowls after a long pause during his run-up, claimed 1-24, having Suryakumar pouched in the deep.
Usman Khan (44 of 34) gave Pakistan slender hope in the chase after the woeful beginning but when he was stumped off Axar to make it 73-5, and two further wickets quickly followed, the game was all but up.
India spinner Varun Chakravarthy (2-17) then struck twice in as many balls in the 16th over – he reviewed for a hat-trick to no avail – before Hardik had the final say and the players left the field without shaking hands.
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Hardik Pandya was left fuming after India dropped two catches off him late in Pakistan’s innings – before he took the final wicket
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