India vs Pakistan: India thrash Pakistan by 61 runs to reach T20 World Cup Super 8s
India produced a comprehensive performance to beat Pakistan by 61 runs in Colombo and secure a place in the Super 8s of the ICC T20 World Cup. Ishan Kishan's attacking 77 and a collective bowling effort sank Pakistan for 114 as co-hosts India finished top of Group A with three wins from three.
Match summary
Batting first, India posted 175 for 7. Kishan top-scored with a blistering 77 off 40 balls, setting the foundation while other contributors added crucial runs to push the total into a defendable range. Saim finished with 3 for 25, providing early breakthroughs and control in the middle overs.
Pakistan’s reply never found momentum. The chase collapsed as India’s pace and spin combinations tightened the screws; Hardik, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar, and Varun Chakravarthy each claimed two wickets. Pakistan were bowled out for 114, handing India a comfortable 61-run victory and passage to the Super 8 stage.
Key performers and tactics
Ishan Kishan’s innings proved decisive. He timed the ball well on a surface that offered assistance early on and took responsibility in the powerplay, opening up the field and creating gaps that India exploited. Kishan was named player of the match for his match-defining knock.
India’s bowling was a collective effort. Hardik Sharma (named Hardik in the match summary) took the new ball and set the tone, while Bumrah produced incisive spells that stifled Pakistan’s top order. The spin duo of Axar and Chakravarthy kept the pressure on with tight lines and smart variation, combining for four wickets between them and disrupting any plans to rebuild the chase.
India’s captain highlighted the team’s intent to play an aggressive brand of cricket from the outset and praised the collective contribution. On the other side, Pakistan acknowledged they were beaten on execution with both bat and ball; the pitch played differently across the innings and some key moments—missed chances and tight dismissals—shaped the outcome.
What it means for the tournament
The win confirms India as Group A winners and advances them directly to the Super 8s. Pakistan, meanwhile, remain alive in the group but must win their final fixture against Namibia on Wednesday (ET) to guarantee progression. The result keeps the prospect of a Super 8 meeting between the two neighbours alive, depending on how the remaining group fixtures fall.
The T20 World Cup now moves on with more group-stage action scheduled, and India will use the brief break to reassess and prepare for tougher assignments in the next phase. For Pakistan, the focus is immediate: regroup quickly, address execution lapses, and approach the must-win match against Namibia with renewed clarity.
The contest was played after the Pakistan government lifted a prior order for a boycott, allowing the team to participate without that off-field uncertainty. Emotions were high throughout an encounter that underlines the intensity and significance this fixture carries for both sides and their supporters.
With the Super 8s looming, India will take confidence from a comprehensive display that blended aggressive batting, disciplined bowling and tidy fielding. Pakistan will aim to respond swiftly; the next 48 hours will be crucial in deciding whether they keep their tournament hopes alive.
