T20 World Cup 2026: Fans celebrate Ishan Kishan’s heroics as India hammer Pakistan to secure Super 8 spot

In a clinical display of high-octane cricket at the R. Premadasa Stadium on February 15, 2026, India decimated Pakistan by 61 runs to officially secure their place in the Super 8 stage of T20 World Cup 2026. The victory was anchored by a ferocious counter-attack from Ishan Kishan, who transformed a shaky start into a match-winning platform with his second consecutive fifty of the tournament.

India’s bowling unit, led by a menacing opening spell from Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, then dismantled the Pakistan chase, leaving it in total ruins within the Powerplay. With a perfect record of three wins from three games, the Men in Blue have become the first team from Group A to qualify for the next round. This dominant performance not only reaffirms India’s title credentials but also marks one of their most comprehensive World Cup victories over their arch-rivals.

T20 World Cup 2026: Ishan Kishan’s blazing 77 powers India to 175 in Colombo 

Following a tense ‘no-handshake’ toss where Pakistan elected to bowl, India suffered an immediate setback when Abhishek Sharma fell for a four-ball duck to Salman Ali Agha‘s off-spin. However, Kishan refused to let the pressure mount, launching a breathtaking assault that saw him smash 10 fours and 3 sixes across the park. By reaching his half-century in just 27 balls, Kishan officially joined an elite bracket of Indian batters to score a 50+ against Pakistan in T20 World Cup history, maintaining a strike rate of 192.50.

His aggressive 87-run partnership with Tilak Varma stabilized the innings and propelled India to a record-breaking 175/7, the highest team total ever recorded in an India-Pakistan T20 World Cup clash. Despite a middle-order wobble caused by Saim Ayub’s triple strike, which included dismissing Hardik for a golden duck, late cameos from Suryakumar Yadav (32) and Shivam Dube (27) ensured India posted a total that felt well above par on the tacky, slow Colombo surface.

Also READ: T20 World Cup 2026: Ishan Kishan joins Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir’s elite list after explosive 77 vs Pakistan

The Hardik Pandya-Jasprit Bumrah blitz: Pakistan’s chase crumbles for 114

Defending a target of 176, India’s Hardik set the tone with an extraordinary opening over that essentially decided the match before it truly began. Handed the new ball in a tactical masterstroke by Suryakumar, Pandya delivered a perfect wicket-maiden, inducing a mistimed pull from Sahibzada Farhan who departed for a four-ball duck.

The nightmare only deepened for Pakistan in the second over when Bumrah trapped Saim Ayub with a searing yorker and removed captain Salman Agha two balls later, leaving the chase in tatters at 13/3. Axar Patel soon cleaned up Babar Azam for just 5, and while Usman Khan offered brief resistance with a 44-run knock, the ‘Spin Twins’ Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy triggered a final collapse. Pakistan were eventually bundled out for 114 in 18 overs, handing India a massive 61-run victory and their most dominant bowling display of the 2026 campaign so far.

Here’s how fans reacted:

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