Colombo Clash Turns One-Sided — India Rout Pakistan as Another Batting Meltdown Unfolds

The latest chapter of cricket’s fiercest rivalry ended familiarly on Sunday in Colombo — drama promised, dominance delivered. India brushed aside Pakistan by 61 runs in a crucial Group A encounter after the Men in Green crumbled under pressure, folding for just 114 in pursuit of 176.

For Pakistan, it was another painful reminder of a recurring problem: when the stakes rise, the batting often sinks.

The total now ranks among their lowest in T20 World Cup history, sitting behind their 82 against West Indies in 2014 and the modest 113/7 against India in 2024.

Early damage set the tone

The chase never truly began.
Hardik Pandya struck in the opening over, removing Sahibzada Farhan without scoring. Jasprit Bumrah followed with a double blow — dismissing Saim Ayub and Salman Agha — leaving Pakistan gasping at the outset.

When Babar Azam also departed soon after, the scoreboard read a worrying 34/4 inside the powerplay. The match, though not mathematically over, had already tilted sharply.

Usman Khan attempted to mount resistance with a determined 44, briefly steadying the innings. But once he fell, the collapse returned with ruthless speed — Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan were dismissed in quick succession, and the lower order offered little resistance.

Faheem Ashraf and Abrar Ahmed fell cheaply, and the innings never reached three figures comfortably before the last wicket fell.

It turned into Pakistan’s heaviest defeat against India in T20 internationals by margin.

Kishan’s class shapes India’s total

Earlier, India’s innings was built on a stylish and assertive knock from Ishan Kishan.

On a surface where timing the ball wasn’t easy, he produced a sparkling 77 off just 40 deliveries — mixing calculated aggression with clever placement.

India lost Abhishek Sharma early, but Kishan kept the scoreboard moving and prevented Pakistan from tightening control.

His innings ensured India never slipped into stagnation even when boundaries were hard to come by against spin.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav contributed a steady 32 from 27 balls, anchoring the middle overs and allowing others to play around him. India eventually posted a competitive 175 for seven.

Among Pakistan’s bowlers, Saim Ayub impressed with three wickets for 25 runs, though the effort proved insufficient without batting support.

A familiar pattern in big games

The defeat added another chapter to Pakistan’s struggles in high-profile T20 encounters against India.

Historically, low totals have haunted them in such clashes — including 83 in the 2016 Asia Cup and their overall T20I low of 74 against Australia in 2012.

Once again, the contest highlighted the contrasting temperaments of the sides: India absorbed pressure before accelerating, while Pakistan’s innings unraveled rapidly after early setbacks.

As the crowd in Colombo roared, the result reinforced an enduring truth of the rivalry — in matches defined by nerves as much as skill, composure often proves decisive.

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