India defeated Pakistan by 61 runs in their T20 World Cup 2026 match.
Former India cricketer R. Ashwin has shared a detailed analysis of how Pakistan lost their T20 World Cup 2026 game against India. This game was played at the RPS Ground in Colombo on Sunday, February 15.
India posted 175/7 thanks to Ishan Kishan’s brilliant 77 runs after being asked to bat first by Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha. In response, the Pakistani batting failed to cope with the pressure of the disciplined Indian bowling attack and could only manage 114 runs, losing the game by 61 runs.
Ashwin dissected the game from Pakistan’s point of view and said Pakistan’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss proved to be the turning point.
“Where did they win to lose the plot? Pakistan lost the game when they opted to bowl first after winning the toss because we saw the match between Australia and Zimbabwe. Australia struggled to get 170. When we see IPL matches, teams win easily if they need 100 runs off the last 10 overs. But it’s not happening in this World Cup.
In Premadasa Stadium, you can’t chase 100 in ten overs. The way Pakistan deals with pressure, India is 100 times better in that aspect. I don’t think Pakistan is there. Honestly, Pakistan has become tactically better under Salman Agha and Mike Hesson. But the way they brought Shaheen Afridi after Agha’s first over was a terrible mistake,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel “Ash ki Baat.”
Furthermore, Ashwin slammed Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha’s strategies with his bowlers. He questioned the logic of bringing Shaheen Afridi to bowl the second over, instead of bringing on more spin, despite taking Abhishek Sharma’s wicket in the first over.
“You took Abhishek Sharma’s wicket, and he is leaking runs left, right, and center. We noted in the preview how dangerous Ishan Kishan is against left-arm seam. I feel cricketers need to be told, ‘This is your match-up.’ Data tells the truth. When you say Ishan is taking on left-arm seam, he is taking it on.
I’m not saying don’t bowl left-arm seam to him, but they must do something different. If Shaheen was getting whacked, I would’ve loved to see him come round the wicket to the left-hander. He didn’t do it, and the second over should have been Saim Ayub. The fast bowler released the pressure. India was 159 after 19 overs, and Afridi was brought again, and he leaked runs again. Afridi gave away 16 runs in the final over,” he added.
India has qualified for the Super 8s and will face the Netherlands in their final Group A game on February 18 in Ahmedabad. On the other hand, Pakistan will face Namibia in a must-win game on the same day in Colombo.