General

India dominated Pakistan in their much-anticipated T20 World Cup clash held in Colombo, winning by 61 runs and securing their spot in the Super 8s. After much debate about whether the match would take place, India demonstrated their strength, marking their ninth consecutive victory over Pakistan. The captains did not shake hands during the toss, and there were no interactions between players after the match, reflecting the ongoing political tensions and last year’s military conflict between the two countries. The game was largely decided by India’s opener Ishan Kishan, who delivered a powerful performance, scoring 77 runs off 40 balls on a challenging pitch. His explosive start helped India reach a total of 175-7, despite Pakistan's many spinners slowing down the scoring and taking some wickets. Hardik Pandya claimed a wicket in the first over of Pakistan's innings, while Jasprit Bumrah took two in the second over, putting Pakistan in a difficult position. Usman Khan managed to score 44 runs, but Pakistan was bowled out for just 114 runs in 18 overs. With this win, India is on track to defend their title from 2024. Meanwhile, Pakistan must win against Namibia on Thursday to secure their place in the Super 8s. If successful, there’s a chance the two teams could face each other again in the semi-finals or finals of the tournament.