In a dominant display at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, India crushed Pakistan by 61 runs in their T20 World Cup 2026 Group A encounter, securing their place in the Super 8 stage. The match drew top cricket officials from both nations, including ICC chairman Jay Shah, but became memorable not just for India's clinical performance but also for Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi's abrupt departure from the venue before the humiliation was complete.
A video shared by PTI captured Naqvi's car exiting the R Premadasa Stadium prior to the match's conclusion, underscoring the PCB chief's discomfort amid Pakistan's unraveling. This incident occurred just days after the Pakistan government and PCB staged an eight-day saga, threatening to boycott the fixture before ultimately retracting their stance.
Pakistan captain won the toss and opted to bowl first on the spin-friendly track at the Colombo venue. In an unconventional move, Salman Ali Agha opened the bowling and struck early, dismissing Abhishek Sharma—who had returned to India's playing XI—for a second consecutive duck in the first over.
Ishan Kishan then took charge, dismantling Pakistan's attack with a blistering 77 runs off 40 balls, featuring 10 fours and 3 sixes. He forged an 86-run partnership for the second wicket with Tilak Varma, setting a solid platform despite a brief slowdown after his dismissal.
India finished their 20 overs at 175/7, a total that proved insurmountable. The Indian bowlers delivered a masterclass, with Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Axar Patel each claiming two wickets to restrict Pakistan.
Pakistan's batters struggled throughout, collapsing to 114 all out in their chase. The comprehensive 61-run defeat highlighted India's superiority and propelled them into the Super 8s, leaving Naqvi's early exit as a poignant footnote to the lopsided contest.
