Why Pakistan no longer trusts Babar Azam | T20 World Cup 2026
On the field, India made a ruthless statement as they comfortably defeated Pakistan by 61 runs to book their place in the Super Eight stage without defeat. After Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha opted to field first, a surprise move by Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha in the opener brought an early wicket and dismissed Abhishek Sharma. But Ishan Kishan immediately turned the tide with a blistering display and asserted dominance from the start. Kishan pulled Shaheen Shah Afridi for a six on the first ball and continued to attack, supported by Tilak Varma, as India piled up at 52 for 1 after six overs, with Kishan contributing 42 from just 25 balls.Kishan’s blitz went beyond the power play, hitting a 27-ball fifty and finishing with a brilliant 77 off 40 balls before being dismissed by Saim Ayub. Pakistan relied heavily on spin, using six spinners in an innings – the most in the team’s history at a T20 World Cup and the most joint regulars in a T20I. Saim Ayub impressed, removing Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya to finish with 3 wickets in 25 runs, nearly completing a hat-trick. India closed their innings at 175 for 7, buoyed by contributions from Suryakumar Yadav (32), Shivam Dube (27) and Rinku Singh (11).Pakistan’s chase never gained steam. Hardik Pandya dismissed Shahibzad Farhan for a duck, followed by Saim Ayub and Jasprit Bumrah who dismantled the middle order. Even Salman Ali Agha and Babar Azam faltered under pressure, while Usman Khan’s 44 off 34 balls was the only bright spark. India’s bowlers led by Jasprit Bumrah (2/17), Axar Patel (2/29) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/16) bowled Pakistan out for 114 in 17.5 overs to seal a one-sided victory.Quick Score:India: 175/7 (Ishan Kishan 77, Suryakumar Yadav 32, Shivam Dube 27; Saim Ayub 3/25)Pakistan: 114 all out (Usman Khan 44; Jasprit Bumrah 2/17, Axar Patel 2/29, Varun Chakravarthy 2/16)