India overpower Pakistan in Colombo as Kishan’s 77 sets up commanding T20 World Cup victory
Colombo, 15 February 2026 (ET) — India produced a polished all-round performance to seize control of the Group A match against Pakistan in Colombo. Ishan Kishan’s top-scoring 77 anchored India’s 175-7, while a hostile opening spell and steady middle overs with the ball reduced Pakistan to a painful chase that never gained momentum.
Kishan leads the way as India post 175-7
Ishan Kishan’s brisk 77 formed the backbone of India’s total of 175-7. The innings combined aggression with smart shot selection, allowing India to accelerate through the middle overs after a cautious start. Saim topped the bowling charts for Pakistan with figures of 3-25, but could not prevent Kishan and company from building a competitive score.
India rotated the strike well and found boundaries at key moments. Several cameos supported Kishan’s knock, and tight fielding and intelligent bowling in the death overs limited Pakistan’s ability to score freely. The scoreboard read 175-7 at the close of the innings — a total that proved testing on the Colombo surface under the lights.
Early carnage and a stalled reply
Pakistan’s chase began disastrously. India’s pace attack struck early, with Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel each grabbing two wickets as Pakistan slumped to 34-4 inside the powerplay. The early dismissals dented Pakistan’s game plan and forced middle-order batters into recovery mode instead of keeping pace with required scoring.
Usman Khan showed resistance and counter-attacked briefly, producing a flurry of boundaries to lift Pakistan to 66-4 by the ninth over. But momentum repeatedly swung back to India. Spin and disciplined variations in pace frustrated the visitors: Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy tightened the screws, picking up crucial breakthroughs and strangling scoring options.
By the 14th over Pakistan were 89-7, effectively needing a near-impossible run rate with very few wickets in hand. The collapse was summed up by a series of poor shot selections and a failure to build lasting partnerships — a contrast to the composed batting that had delivered for Pakistan earlier in the tournament.
Commentary and takeaways
Commentators watching the game noted that India had adapted to Colombo’s conditions more effectively, turning tactical discipline into wickets and runs when it mattered. One former international player observed that Kishan’s innings was the defining contribution on a day when Pakistan’s batting simply never found its rhythm. Another analyst highlighted Pakistan’s lack of partnerships as the decisive factor — without sustained stands, the chase was always going to be precarious.
The match also carried off-field significance: play went ahead after the Pakistan government lifted a previous order for boycott, allowing fans and teams to focus on cricket. On the field, India’s balanced combination of pace and spin, plus calculated batting, underlined why they remain a formidable side in global T20 competition.
With both teams continuing their Group A schedules, India’s victory in Colombo reinforces their early tournament momentum. Pakistan, meanwhile, will need to re-evaluate their top-order approach and regroup quickly to keep their campaign alive.
