India beat Pakistan to qualify for Super 8 after Ishan Kishan knock

The Indian cricket team qualified for the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup 2026 with a 61-run victory over Pakistan in its third Group A match at the R Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday.

India rode on a sparkling 77 off just 40 deliveries from Ishan Kishan to post 175/7 in their 20 overs. Saim Ayub, with figures of 3/25, was the pick of the Pakistani bowlers.

Indian bowlers then produced a clinical performance as the Pakistan cricket team folded on 114 in 18 overs.

All six bowlers used by skipper Suryakumar Yadav were among the wickets with Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya picking up two each.

This was the eighth win for the Men in Blue in nine India vs Pakistan meetings at the T20 World Cups. Overall, it was India’s 14th win in 17 head-to-head matches.

India, the world No. 1 T20 side, sit atop Group A with six points after the win. Pakistan, sixth in the ICC rankings, dropped to the third spot after the heavy defeat, trailing the USA on Net Run Rate (NRR).

Put in to bat, India suffered an early setback when Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha struck with his very first over, removing world No. 1 T20I batter Abhishek Sharma for a duck. However, the bright start for Pakistan quickly dimmed under an Ishan Kishan assault.

Kishan launched his innings in style, greeting Shaheen Shah Afridi with a six and maintained that attacking intent throughout.

The left-hander dominated a 46-ball stand worth 87 for the second wicket with Tilak Varma, scoring 76 of those runs himself.

Kishan’s innings included 10 fours and three sixes before Saim Ayub’s sharp turn ended his innings in the ninth over with the score on 88/2. His fifty had come off just 27 balls.

Tilak Varma, who had played second fiddle to Kishan, fell soon after for 25 before Hardik Pandya departed first ball. India suddenly found themselves at 126/4 in the 15th over with the Pakistan spinners tightening the screws.

Suryakumar Yadav worked hard for his 32, but even he struggled to break free on a surface that offered grip.

A late burst from Shivam Dube (27) and Rinku Singh (11 not out), including back-to-back boundaries in the final over, helped India lift the total to 175/7.

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