Star Indian opener Ishan Kishan burst into Pakistan’s plot with a breathtaking 77 off 40 balls to turn the tide of a high-voltage T20 World Cup encounter at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.
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On an inhospitable surface where the ball gripped and held, Pakistan sensed an opening Abhishek Sharma fell for his second duck tournament in the first over. They doubled up on spin and bowled five overs of it in the Powerplay, making it only the 13th time in T20 World Cup history that the fifth over has taken place at this stage.
However, Kishan refused to let the early setback dictate terms. From the moment Shaheen Shah Afridi fell in the second over, Kishan signaled intent and wobbled to pull his left arm quickly for a towering six. He mixed aggression with calculated risk, although several edges flew past the infield.
As Pakistan turned to spin, Kishan shifted smoothly. He swept and slashed with authority against Abrar Ahmed and used his legs smartly against Saim Ayub, picking lengths early and targeting anything that was marginally short. By the end of the Powerplay, India had ballooned to 52 for 1, with Kishan racing to 42 from just 25 balls.
Those early strokes were invaluable on a surface that didn’t promise easy stroke play. His 42 in the first six overs is now the highest individual score by an Indian power bowler in an India-Pakistan T20I, surpassing the previous mark of 35.
After six weeks, the field widened, but Kishan did not let up. Three boundaries in three deliveries off the Powerplay ensured that Pakistan could not regain control. Abrar’s boundary brought up a stunning fifty from just 27 balls, drawing applause from the Indian dugout and briefly silencing the Pakistani crowd.
At 64 to 1 at 5.3, India went through in emphatic fashion.
There was a moment of concern when Kishan fell down and grabbed his right leg after attempting a reverse move. He lay on his back and grimaced as the physical therapist stretched him, and play stopped for a few minutes. He eventually got back to his feet and continued, although Afridi could be seen bandaging his right knee at the other end.
Pakistan’s decision to detain Usman Tariq eventually paid off. The ball after pulling Saim Ayub for four, Kishan backpedaled to get to the leg side but the delivery was too full and clipped the top leg stump. His dismissal left India at 88 for 2 in 8.4 overs, roughly 20 runs over par.
It was his second consecutive half-century after a 61-run effort against Namibia earlier in the tournament, but this innings carried more weight. On a surface that required calculation as much as courage, Kishan provided both.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
February 15, 2026