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INDvPAK report: The WWW-inning run continues..

By Mumbai Indians

The "BIGGEST" fixture of the T20 Cup 2026 was a pure paisa-vasool spectacle. From Ishan’s initial assault to a clinical bowling masterclass under the Colombo lights, the Men in Blue turned a high-pressure fixture into a blue-themed carnival.

Put to bat, our top order didn't waste time. Ishan Kishan went into beast mode with a ferocious 77 runs off 40 balls, while skipper Suryakumar Yadav (32) and a gritty Tilak Varma (25) anchored the middle overs. Late-innings fireworks from Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh pushed India to a formidable 175/7.

The defense was simply ज़बरदस्त. Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah dismantled the top order within the first two overs, before the spin twin mystery of Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel put the brakes on the chase. Even Tilak Varma grabbed a wicket with his first ball, wrapping up a comprehensive 61-run victory that left the R. Premadasa Stadium chanting in one voice: INDIAAA INDIA.

Here is how the game played out in Colombo.

An ISHAANdar start

Sent in to bat, the top order didn't waste a second. After Abhishek Sharma fell early, Ishan Kishan went into full beast mode. He played with nerves of steel, smoking a ferocious 77 off 40 balls. Kishan brought up his fifty in just 27 deliveries, effectively snatching the momentum away from Pakistan before they could even settle.

SKY-TV hold ground in the middle

Once Ishan Kishan departed, it was up to "Aapla Dada" Surya and Tilak Varma to navigate a tricky, tacky Premadasa surface. They didn't go for anything too flashy; instead, they played the situation. SKY (32 runs off 29 balls) and Tilak (25 runs off 24) stitched together a 38-run stand that kept the scoreboard ticking against a heavy spin barrage.

Target set: 176

The death overs belonged to Shivam Dube (27 runs off 17 balls) and Rinku Singh (11* off four balls). Dube’s calculated hitting and Rinku’s calm head, especially against Shaheen Afridi in the 20th over, pushed the total to 175/7. On this wicket, 176 felt like a mountain to climb.

The "HP & Boom" Opening Act

Defending 175, Kung Fu Pandya and BOOM BOOM Bumrah delivered a kadak opening spell with trademark Mumbai clinical precision. Hardik set the tone with a brilliant wicket maiden, removing Sahibzada Farhan for a duck. JB93 followed THAT over with an absolute masterclass, dismissing both Saim Ayub and Salman Ali Agha in one over. Their ek number opening burst left Pakistan reeling at 13/3.

The Indian SPIN spice in Colombo

When the pace slowed down, Axar Patel (2/29) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/17) brought the asli spice. Axar bagged the big wickets of Babar Azam and a dangerous-looking Usman Khan (44). Varun’s mystery bowling left the opponent’s tail spinning, and even Tilak Varma joined the fun, taking a wicket with his first ball. Pakistan were eventually bowled out for 114.

With the W tonight, defending champions India have all but booked their Super 8 ticket. And fresh from going up 8-1 (1 tied win) in INDvPAK T20 Cup games, SKY’s Men in Blue will regroup and recharge ahead of their final league game against the Netherlands on Wednesday, February 18.

Brief scores: India 175/7 (Ishan Kishan 77, Suryakumar Yadav 32; Saim Ayub 3/25) BEAT Pakistan 114 (Usman Khan 44; Hardik Pandya 2/16, Jasprit Bumrah 2/17) by 61 RUNS.