New Delhi, Feb 15 Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar hailed India's all-round performance after the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 co-hosts thrashed Pakistan by 61 runs at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Sunday.
Kishan was the standout performer, blazing 77 off 40 balls with 10 fours and three sixes, while Saim Ayub’s crafty spell of 3-25 kept Pakistan firmly in the contest.
Kishan’s pyrotechnics at the top gave India the cushion to play within themselves through the middle overs. Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav added 57 off 53 balls collectively to help India set a target of 176.
"The Power-play was where India took the game away from them. Ishan Kishan in the first innings, and the clinical bowling we saw in the second innings, made all the difference. We were always in the driver’s seat. India rocked it tonight!" Tendulkar posted on X.
The demolition of Pakistan's batting started right from the first over as Hardik Pandya claimed the prized wicket of Shahibzada Farhan in the opening over with a hard length delivery.
Jasprit Bumrah then came back to strike two in his opening over. After getting smoked for a six in the first delivery, Bumrah bounced back with a swearing inswinging yorker to get rid of Ayub and then removed skipper Salman Agha on the last delivery.
Wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan was the lone warrior for Pakistan with 44, stitching a partnership with Babar Azam for 21 runs and then with Shadab Khan for 39 runs. The middle order completely collapsed for Pakistan as India took the centre stage. Axar Patel got rid of Azam (5) and then Khan with a tossed-up delivery.
Kuldeep Yadav cleaned out Mohmmad Nawaz as Tilka Varma, bowling for the first time in the tournament, got the wicket of all-rounder Shadab Khan. The lower order completely collapsed as Pakistan lost the last five wickets for mere 41 runs.
Pandya, Chakravarthy, Bumrah, Kuldeep, and Axar Patel took wickets each as India won the match by 61 runs.
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