India outclass Pakistan

Colombo:India recorded a 61-run victory over Pakistan in the T20 World Cup here on Sunday for another dominant victory over the arch-rivals in ICC events. Ishan Kishan made a high-quality 77 off 40 balls on a challenging surface to take India to 175 for seven. The total proved to be more than enough for Pakistan who folded up for 114.

India’s pace aces Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, backed by spinners Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy, kept Pakistan under relentless pressure, to bundling them out in 18 overs.

Pandya sparked the onslaught in the opening over after India posted 175 for 7, dismissing Sahibzada Farhan for a duck.

Jasprit Bumrah then piled on the pressure with a double strike in the next over, removing Saim Ayub (6) and skipper Salman Agha (4) to leave Pakistan reeling at 13 for 3 after just two overs. Axar Patel (2/29) compounded Pakistan’s woes by clean bowling Babar Azam (5) and later dismissing the well-set keeper-batter Usman Khan (44 off 34 balls), as the innings lurched from one setback to another.

Usman and Shadab Khan had sparked a brief resurgence with a 39-run partnership for the fifth wicket, but the former’s dismissal triggered yet another collapse in the Pakistan innings. Faheem Ashram (8 not out) and Shaheen Afridi (6 not out) were at the crease.

Earlier, opener Ishan Kishan’s explosive 40-ball 77 provided India the ideal launchpad to post a competitive total.

Brief Scores:

India 175/7 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 77, Suryakumar Yadav 32; Saim Ayub 3-25, Salman Agha 1-10) beat Pakistan 114 all out in 18 overs (Usman Khan 44, Shadab Khan 14; Jasprit Bumrah 2-17, Axar Patel 2-29, Varun Chakravarthy 2-17, Hardik Pandya 2-16) by 61 runs.