In the exciting T20 World Cup clash in Colombo, Team India delivered a stunning victory over Pakistan, triumphing by 61 runs. Setting a competitive target of 176, Pakistan's effort concluded at 114 runs in 18 overs.
The rivalry between Pakistan and Team India in the T20 World Cup has been a thrilling saga. Out of nine confrontations so far, Team India has emerged victorious on eight occasions.
Many Pakistani fans had high hopes that their team would dominate this T20 World Cup against India. However, in reality, Pakistan's cricket performance was profoundly disappointing.
In a conversation with Harish, a Pakistani fan, after the Colombo defeat, he shared his unwavering support for the Pakistan team. 'I travel from Chicago every time to support them in ICC events, including the 2017 Champions Trophy and the World Cups that followed. We have been there with our hopes high in Australia, New York, and now Sri Lanka in 2026,' Harish elaborated.
Harish reflected on the recent matches, noting, 'In Melbourne, Pakistan almost clinched victory, but fate wasn't on their side. Today's match, however, was entirely lopsided with too many mistakes.'
'This should have been Babar Azam's day,' continued Harish. 'If the people see him as a King, then he must lead and perform like one, much like Virat Kohli does. Some earlier wickets fell, and Babar was expected to stabilize the innings, but unfortunately, he also got out.'
I believe Babar Azam isn't yet a King. He doesn't deserve the title without consistency. Pakistan needs to rebuild its team; this isn't a cohesive unit - it’s merely fragmented players.
The political maneuvering around matches disrupts preparation—announcements about playing and then pulling out tarnish the spirit of the game. Sports and politics should remain separate. If players keep facing such pressure, they can't perform.
'In the first over, a wicket brought momentum, but things faltered due to incorrect bowling decisions. Shayan was tasked with bowling when he was out of form, which allowed India to seize control of the game,' Harish remarked.
Harish noted, 'Ishan Kishan made every delivery count. While some bowlers weren't effective against him, they were introduced late, by then, the game had shifted away.'
'To chase 175 is hefty for Pakistan. Even 140 seems challenging. Significant changes are needed within the team. Fakhar Zaman, a match-winner, was notably absent, while Mohammad Nawaz's place could have given space to a new batter,' lamented Harish.
Many players don't appear international-ready, around whom a strong team can't be built. Honestly, it’s frustrating. If there had been a real fight, a competitive match, it would have been exhilarating. But this one-sided loss was a letdown. At present, India is leagues ahead of Pakistan.' Harish concluded.
