After all the off-field drama and political noise, the ICC T20 World Cup's most anticipated match is set to take place as scheduled. On Sunday, India will face Pakistan at Colombo's R Premadasa Stadium. The excitement surrounding this rivalry stems from various cricketing reasons. Numerous fans are pegging India as a strong contender due to their dominant history in this clash. Their current performance in the T20 World Cup further solidifies this belief.
India commenced their campaign with a victory over the United States. Suryakumar Yadav played a vital innings in challenging conditions, stabilizing the team and sealing the win. Subsequently, India triumphed over Namibia by 93 runs at New Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium, marking their largest World Cup victory ever by run margin.
Pakistan's Performance Overview
Meanwhile, Pakistan encountered tough resistance from the Netherlands, where Faheem Ashraf's critical cameo secured a thrilling win. They followed this up with a more professional performance against America, registering their second consecutive tournament win.
Sunday's match is expected to be a high-stakes thriller. With successive victories, India has gained momentum and a mental edge. Their dominance over Pakistan in international cricket over the past decade offers them a psychological advantage.
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Heading into this marquee clash, understanding what India needs to do to secure victory is vital. The Premadasa Stadium is familiar turf for India. They know these conditions well.
India's Performance at Colombo
India has achieved remarkable success at Colombo's R Premadasa Stadium. Since 2009, they have played 15 T20 International matches here, winning 11 and losing only 4.
During the ICC T20 World Cup 2012, India won four out of five matches here, with their only loss against Australia. Apart from hosts Sri Lanka, Australia is the only team to defeat India at this venue.
India's T20I Record (RPS, Colombo): Matches – 15, Wins – 11, Losses – 4
What Score is Needed at Colombo?
Teams chasing targets have often found it beneficial at R Premadasa Stadium. In 51 T20I matches, the average score has been 152, with successful chases 28 times. However, the current tournament has seen more challenge in chasing scores.
The average score in the current tournament stands at 158. Whenever India has batted first here, scoring over 150 runs, they have won five out of six matches. Thus, a score of 165 or slightly more might be sufficient for victory come Sunday.
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India's Highest Score in Colombo:
176/3 against Bangladesh (March 2018)
Minimum Score:
81/8 against Sri Lanka (July 2021)
Average Score:
157 (in 15 matches)
Will Spin Deliver Victory?
T20Is at Colombo have seen success for both pacers and spinners. Pacers have bagged 323 wickets while spinners have taken 282.
Recently, Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana halted Ireland's batsmen, while Adam Zampa claimed a magnificent four wickets.
The return of fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is a major boost for India. Meanwhile, Pakistan's mystery spinner Usman Tariq is considered a significant threat against India. Sunday's showdown will not solely be decided by spin. Fast bowlers are likely to play a crucial role in the outcome.
