HIGHLIGHTS India vs Pakistan, ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, 27 T20- Result, Scorecard

We are back! The two umpires make their way out to the middle. Suryakumar Yadav leads his troops out to the middle. Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan will open the innings for Pakistan. Hardik Pandya will start with the new ball. Hardik to Farhan with a slip in place. Here we go!

... THE RUN CHASE ....

Looking ahead - The tacky nature of the surface has clearly favoured the slower bowlers. India have gone with an extra spinner in Kuldeep Yadav tonight, and the likes of Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma can also chip in with the ball. Pakistan will aim to make the Powerplay count. Once the ball softens, stroke-making could become far more challenging on this surface. Please stay tuned for the run chase.

Pakistan's fightback - Pakistan fought their way back into the contest after removing Ishan and managed to keep the scoring in check through their spinners. Abrar Ahmed went for plenty on the night and could not quite make the conditions count, but Saim Ayub delivered an excellent spell, finishing with figures of 3 for 25 from his four overs. There was plenty of talk about how India would fare against Usman Tariq, and they handled him reasonably well.

Ishan's onslaught after early jolt - Salman Agha pulled off a surprise first up and it worked perfectly, dismissing Abhishek in his opening over. Pakistan, however, failed to build on that early breakthrough as Ishan Kishan made them pay for anything loose. He continued to dominate even after the Powerplay, with Tilak Varma largely playing second fiddle in their stand. Ishan scored 76 of the 87 runs in that partnership, and at one stage, India were cruising at 10 an over with 82 on the board at the end of 8 overs.

A magnificent batting effort! End of the Indian innings, one that ebbed and flowed. Given how the pitch has behaved, India will take 175. Pakistan, though, will have mixed feelings. With the way Ishan Kishan was going, India looked destined for a bigger total. Pakistan did well to pull things back through the middle overs, but at the death, with Shaheen Afridi not quite nailing the final over, they were unable to prevent India from crossing 170.

Shaheen Afridi to Axar Patel, OUT! CAUGHT! Not the best of balls by Shaheen, as this is full and outside off, with a slight pace taken off. Axar Patel swings across to slog it over deep mid-wicket, but his bat turns at the point of contact and goes only as far as deep mid-wicket. Saim Ayub runs in off the ropes and tumbles across to his left to pluck the catch. INDIA FINISH AT 175/7, with 16 runs coming from the final over.

Axar Patel walks out to the middle.

Shaheen Afridi to Rinku Singh, OUT! SHIVAM DUBE IS RUN OUT! A big mix-up between the batters and Shivam pays the price. Back of a length outside off, Rinku throws his hands at it and slices it out to sweeper cover. Nawaz collects it on the bounce as the batters complete a single. Dube looks for a second and sets off, but Rinku is hesitant at the other end, which forces Dube to retreat. Nawaz fires in a throw to the keeper, where Usman whips off the bails with Shivam out by a fair bit. Dube is fuming, he isn't impressed there as Rinku turned down the second after showing interest initially.

Shaheen Afridi to Rinku Singh, SIX! The move to close the innings out with Shaheen Afridi is proving expensive. 15 runs off the over with two balls to go. Angled in the slot, on middle. Rinku crouches to get under the ball and clubs it over deep square leg for a biggie. With two left-handers at the crease, could Salman Agha have not bowled himself? Food for thought.

Shaheen Afridi to Rinku Singh, FOUR! Useful runs for India! Back of a length, but with a lot of width offered by Afridi. Rinku Singh gets to free his arms and smacks it over point for a cracking boundary.

Shaheen Afridi to Shivam Dube, Pace off, on a length, outside off, Shivam Dube hangs back and punches it to long off for a single.

Shaheen Afridi to Shivam Dube, FOUR! SMASHED! Shaheen goes full and on middle and leg, Shivam Dube uses his bottom hand and bludgeons it straight down the ground. And before anyone could move a muscle, the ball races away to the fence.

Time for the final over. It will be pace to close out the innings. Here's Shaheen Afridi. Went for 15 runs in his lone over.

Usman Tariq to Rinku Singh, Pushed flatter and fuller, at 79.3 kph, in front of the sticks, Rinku Singh sits down to sweep, but the ball goes straight to the bowler off the bottom end.

Rinku Singh walks in with 7 legal balls left in the innings.

Usman Tariq to Suryakumar Yadav, OUT! TAKEN! Tariq breaks the 33-run partnership. Tossed up on a length around middle and off. Suryakumar Yadav goes for the slog sweep, but there’s no pace to work with. He gets under it nicely but fails to generate enough power to get the distance. Ayub, positioned a few yards inside the boundary, completes a comfortable catch at deep mid-wicket with a reverse cup.

Usman Tariq to Suryakumar Yadav, Swing and a miss! A leg break, on a fullish length just outside off, SKY shuffles towards the off side. He swipes at it and misses, getting struck on the pad.

Usman Tariq to Shivam Dube, Very slow through the air, on a length, coming in with the arm and staying low. Shivam Dube tries to pull, but the ball skids and beats the inside edge to rap him on the thigh pad. The ball then rolls wide of square leg and the batters take a leg bye.

Usman Tariq to Shivam Dube, FOUR! CLUBBED! Slider into the batter, full in length, Shivam Dube picks the length nicely and shimmies down the track before pumping it over the bowler for a boundary down the ground.

Usman Tariq to Shivam Dube, Nearly dragged on! A round-arm delivery, bowled really slow, fullish and on off, Shivam Dube goes for the cut, but the ball goes off the inside edge and deflects off his back boot and rolls past the stumps.

Usman Tariq (3-0-20-0) to bowl the 19th over.

Abrar Ahmed to Shivam Dube, Aimed at the pads, on a length, Shivam Dube nudges it off the back foot to deep mid-wicket for a single. Another expensive over from Abrar. 14 from it. His figures read 3-0-38-0 so far.

Abrar Ahmed to Shivam Dube, SIX! MUSCLED! Not that short by Ahmed, just outside off, Shivam Dube brings his long levers into play, stands tall and blasts it massively over deep mid-wicket for an enormous six. 150 up for India!

Abrar Ahmed to Suryakumar Yadav, Full and quick, on the fourth stump, Suryakumar Yadav leans on and drives it to deep cover for a single.

Abrar Ahmed to Shivam Dube, Round-armish, on a length, on middle, Shivam Dube pulls it on the bounce to Saim Ayub at deep mid-wicket for a single.

Abrar Ahmed to Suryakumar Yadav, A bit quicker and fuller, on the pads, Suryakumar Yadav whips off the pads to deep mid-wicket for a run.

Abrar Ahmed to Suryakumar Yadav, FOUR! Top drawer shot! Abrar lands it on a length, and it spins away from middle. Suryakumar Yadav waits for it on the back foot and whips it perfectly between long on and deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

Usman Tariq to Suryakumar Yadav, Into the blockhole, on off, Suryakumar Yadav carves it down to long on for a single. A fantastic over by Usman. Just 4 from it.

Usman Tariq to Suryakumar Yadav, Well bowled! SKY is itching to get going. Short and wide outside off, but it doesn’t rise much. SKY shuffles across and swings hard to access the off side, only to miss. Not called a wide as Yadav shuffled a long way across.

Usman Tariq to Shivam Dube, An in-dipping length ball, on off, and it slides in with the arm. Shivam Dube pulls it off the inner half of the blade to mid-wicket for a run.

Usman Tariq to Suryakumar Yadav, Tossed up fuller and on the stumps, Suryakumar Yadav mistimes his slog sweep off the toe end. It lands safely in the deep mid-wicket region for a single.

Usman Tariq to Suryakumar Yadav, A long pause before Tariq dishes out a length ball that spins in sharply. Suryakumar Yadav watches it closely and chop-cuts it to backward point.

Usman Tariq to Shivam Dube, On a lower trajectory, on a length, around off, Dube pumps it across to long on for a run.

Mohammad Nawaz to Shivam Dube, Flat and quick, full and outside off, Dube pushes it to the cover region and rushes off for a single. The fielder throws it flat to the bowler, but Nawaz does not gather it at the bowling end.

Mohammad Nawaz to Shivam Dube, FOUR! Powerful shot! A touch short, on middle, Shivam Dube pivots on the back foot and pulls it to the leg side, bisecting deep square leg and deep mid-wicket for a cracking boundary. A boundary after a long time for India.

Mohammad Nawaz to Suryakumar Yadav, Slowed up, a touch fuller and spinning away, outside off, Suryakumar Yadav jabs it through cover-point for a single.

Mohammad Nawaz to Shivam Dube, Full and around off, spinning in, Shivam gently pushes it through mid on for a single.

Mohammad Nawaz to Suryakumar Yadav, Much fuller and on middle, Suryakumar Yadav clips it using his wrists to deep mid-wicket for one more.

Mohammad Nawaz to Shivam Dube, Pitched full and on middle, Shivam gets down on his knee and sweeps it off the inner half to deep backward square leg for a single.

Saim Ayub to Shivam Dube, Flighted delivery, on leg, Dube flicks it through mid-wicket for a single. End of an eventful over, a potentially game-defining one from Ayub. Just 2 runs and 2 big wickets off the over.

Saim Ayub to Shivam Dube, Shorter and on middle. Dube is a bit squared up but manages to keep it out off the back foot.

Saim Ayub to Shivam Dube, My word! How did that miss the stumps? Slanting in, on a length, on middle. Dube closes the bat face to work it with the angle but the ball lands and straightens to rip past the outside edge. Usman Khan just about manages to gather the ball and breaks the stumps before he and Salman Agha, standing at slip, go up in an appeal for caught behind. The finger stays down and Pakistan send it upstairs. They think the ball may have brushed the edge and want to take a chance. The UltraEdge shows a flat line and Dube had his back leg grounded inside the crease.

126/2 becomes 126/4 for India. Shivam Dube is in at number 6 and will face the hattrick ball.

Saim Ayub to Hardik Pandya, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Two in two for Saim Ayub he is on a hat-trick. A golden duck for Hardik Pandya. Carrom ball from Ayub and he keeps it away from the batter's hitting arc. Hardik cannot resist himself after seeing the ball tossed up slightly. He has a big swing at it but only gets the height and not the distance. It is skied towards long off, where Babar Azam takes the catch in reverse cup style over his right shoulder.

A wicket right after the break. How often have we seen this happening? Hardik Pandya walks in at number 5.

Saim Ayub to Tilak Varma, OUT! LBW! A big shout and the finger is raised. After a chat with the skipper, Tilak Varma decides not to take the review. Drifting into the left-hander from around the wicket, on a length, on middle and leg. Varma gets down on a knee for the slog sweep but he misses and the ball straightens after landing to hit him on the crouched back thigh. Saim Ayub provides Pakistan with a timely breakthrough and breaks the 38-run partnership. The Ball Tracking shows that the ball would have clipped the top of the leg pole. It would have been umpire's call, so the decision would have been upheld on review.

Saim Ayub to Suryakumar Yadav, Short and around off, Suryakumar Yadav cuts it to the left of backward point and pinches a quick single.

DRINKS BREAK. It is delicately poised at the moment. India have scored 73/1 after the Powerplay. But Pakistan have not allowed these two to free their arms. Still, SKY and Tilak have played the situation nicely in this middle phase and have kept the scorecard churning with ones and twos. Looking at how the pitch has played so far and with 8 wickets in hand, and a lot of arm and ammunition left in the order, one of these two will look to put the foot on the accelerator now. Pakistan, meanwhile, will need to break this partnership as quickly as possible to stall the run rate. Saim Ayub (3-0-23-1) is back on.

Mohammad Nawaz to Tilak Varma, Short and at the sticks, turned away to mid-wicket from the crease.

Mohammad Nawaz to Suryakumar Yadav, Full and on middle, SKY uses his feet and whips it to wide long on for one.

Mohammad Nawaz to Suryakumar Yadav, FOUR! Shadab Khan makes a mess of it. Nawaz flights it up, full and on off, Yadav goes hard on the sweep and plays it behind square. Shadab gets around in the deep at backward square leg but fails to read the spin. He gets low to make the stop but the ball bounces in front of him and spins past his right knee for a four.

Mohammad Nawaz to Suryakumar Yadav, This is quicker through the air and the length stays short, on off, Suryakumar Yadav punches it without much timing to cover.

Mohammad Nawaz to Suryakumar Yadav, Shorter and sliding on, on middle. SKY ekes out an inside edge onto the pads.

Mohammad Nawaz to Suryakumar Yadav, Fine work! Floated up, on off, Suryakumar Yadav reaches out in front and gets his hands low. Gets on top of the bounce and plays the sweep all along the ground. Shadab Khan sprints and dives to his left in the deep and pushes the ball towards the converging Faheem Ashraf. Ends up parrying it a bit away from Ashraf but the second run was always on.

Usman Tariq to Tilak Varma, A bit too wide and short as well, Tilak lets the ball come to him and cuts it through the vacant backward point region for a brace. 10 runs off the over.

Usman Tariq to Suryakumar Yadav, Bowled with a lower trajectory, short and on the off pole. SKY gets low and cuts it wide of backward point. Shadab Khan cuts it off with a sharp stop. Just a single.

Usman Tariq to Suryakumar Yadav, Wide! A bit of air given and bowled with a round-arm action. This slides down leg. Yadav misses out on the tickle.

Usman Tariq to Tilak Varma, Loopy ball delivered by going wide on the crease, full and outside off, Tilak strokes it to deep cover and crosses over.

Usman Tariq to Suryakumar Yadav, Flat and short, on middle, Suryakumar punches it to long on and picks up a run.

Usman Tariq to Tilak Varma, Full and drifting in, on off, pushed to long off for a single.

Usman Tariq to Suryakumar Yadav, Good save! Spinning back in, short and on off, SKY gets on top of it and punches it to the left of cover. The fielder in the deep gets around to his right and slides to push the ball away from the fence. Saves a run for his side.

Mohammad Nawaz to Suryakumar Yadav, UMPIRE'S CALL! Mohammad Nawaz is not happy at all! He gives a long, hard look at the umpire, Kumar Dharmasena. Dipping on the batter, full and around leg. SKY walks inside the line of the ball and tries to play the lap. He brings his bat out in front to make a connection, but the ball drops in front of the bat and goes under it before hitting him on the back of the shin of his back leg. UltraEdge shows no bat. Where has this pitched? Pitched in line, impact in line but the ball is clipping the leg stump. It is umpire's call. The on-field decision is upheld.

A review for LBW taken by Pakistan after a lot of pondering. Pitching outside leg? Or in the line? First, UltraEdge comes up. Shows nothing but a flat line. And whoa! Ball Tracking shows that it is pitching in the line of the stumps, but it is clipping the leg pole on umpire's call. So, the on-field decision stays.

Mohammad Nawaz to Tilak Varma, Fuller and quicker, on off, Tilak pushes it with a straight bat to long off for one more.

Mohammad Nawaz to Suryakumar Yadav, Angled in, on the shorter side, SKY tucks it through mid-wicket and picks up a single.

Mohammad Nawaz to Tilak Varma, At 89.8 kph, fuller and on off. Varma watchfully pats it wide of cover and crosses over.

Mohammad Nawaz to Tilak Varma, This turns back in sharply, shorter and on middle and leg. Varma goes back to work it with the spin on the leg side but the ball spins past the blade to catch him on the pads.

Mohammad Nawaz to Tilak Varma, SIX! That is a shot and a half! Flighted delivery, full and wide on off. Tilak reaches out and collapses his back knee. He goes inside out over cover for a flat six. 100 up for India!

It's a nice little comeback by Pakistan. 16/1 in the last 3 overs for India. Mohammad Nawaz to continue. 1-0-3-0 so far.

Usman Tariq to Tilak Varma, This is bowled into the surface slightly, on off. Varma waits on it for the pull but the ball comes on slower than he expected. Gets more of a top edge, but it goes through the vacant backward square leg region for a single. A good comeback from Tariq after conceding a boundary on the first ball.

Usman Tariq to Tilak Varma, Beaten! Another ball bowled from wide of the crease, this keeps straight, full and outside off. Varma plays inside the line of the ball and it sneaks past the blade.

Usman Tariq to Tilak Varma, A bit round arm and bowled by going wide of the crease, pushed through at the sticks, on a length. Tilak Varma defends it off the front foot.

Usman Tariq to Tilak Varma, A longer pause this time from Tariq, full and on middle and leg. Varma clips it to mid-wicket.

Usman Tariq to Suryakumar Yadav, Shorter and around the off stump, SKY punches it through covers and turns the strike over.

Usman Tariq to Suryakumar Yadav, FOUR! 'Welcome, Usman,' says Suryakumar! Tariq starts from over the wicket and he pauses before releasing, on a nagging length, on middle. Yadav waits on it and whips it between deep mid-wicket and long on for a four.

Is it Usman Tariq time? Sure is. He replaces Saim Ayub.

Mohammad Nawaz to Tilak Varma, Flight on offer, on off and full, Tilak Varma takes a giant stride forward and drives it to short cover. At halfway, India are 92/2.

Mohammad Nawaz to Suryakumar Yadav, Fraction fuller, on off, Suryakumar Yadav gently pushes the ball to the right of backward point. Faheem Ashraf rushes across and dives to stop the ball, but only manages fingertips as the ball rolls to the deep for a single.

Mohammad Nawaz to Suryakumar Yadav, Quicker through the air, straighter too, on a length, Suryakumar Yadav knocks it to the off side.

Mohammad Nawaz to Tilak Varma, Flat and quick, full and outside off, Tilak crouches a bit and slashes it through backward point for a run.

Mohammad Nawaz to Suryakumar Yadav, More flight on a fuller length, on middle and leg. Suryakumar Yadav drills it along the ground to long off for a single.

Mohammad Nawaz to Suryakumar Yadav, Full and on middle, Suryakumar Yadav drives it to short cover.

With a right-hander at the crease in Suryakumar Yadav, Salman Agha brings on Mohammad Nawaz. The left-arm finger spinner will start from around the wicket.

Saim Ayub to Tilak Varma, A touch short, on middle, drifting in and then spinning the other way. Tilak Varma covers the line and stabs it down the pitch.

Saim Ayub to Suryakumar Yadav, Full and outside off, a carrom ball by the looks of it. Suryakumar Yadav strides across and chips it through cover for a single to get off the mark.

The 87-run stand is broken. In walks the Indian skipper, Suryakumar Yadav.

Saim Ayub to Ishan Kishan, OUT! KNOCKED HIM OVER! Just the breakthrough Pakistan were desperately in search of. Ayub flights the ball and lands it in front of the leg stump. It holds on the surface, grips and spins away. Ishan Kishan backs away to slap it through the off side, but gets beaten all ends up as the length, perhaps, is not apt for that shot. The ball beats the bat's edge and kisses the bails on the middle and leg poles. Ishan departs after a swashbuckling 77. India are 88/2.

Saim Ayub to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! That is ordinary bowling. Saim drops it short, and outside off, Ishan Kishan switches the stance and nails the reverse pull between backward point and short third for a boundary.

Saim Ayub to Tilak Varma, Flat and tad short, on leg, Tilak paddles it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Saim Ayub to Ishan Kishan, Slight hold in the surface, short in length and it spins away sharply. Ishan Kishan gets into a bit of a tangle and plays a half-hearted pull. A bit uppish, but in the gap towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

Oh, what has happened here? Ishan Kishan is down and grimacing in pain. Seems like he is experiencing cramps in his right leg. Usman Tariq is getting ready to come on. Or is it? It looked like he was walking up to his mark, but he is not going to bowl just yet. Ishan continues to be treated by the physio. He is back on his feet and is putting the right pad back on. At the other end of the ground, Shaheen Afridi is receiving attention from the physio. We are all good to resume after a lengthy delay. Saim Ayub comes back into the attack. 2-0-16-0 so far for Ayub.

Shadab Khan to Ishan Kishan, Slightly short and a googly, on leg. Ishan hangs deep in the crease and pulls it to deep square leg for a single. 17 runs off the over!

Shadab Khan to Ishan Kishan, A bit slower through the air and the length is pulled back by a yard or so by Shadab. Ishan executes the reverse sweep, but loses his balance and falls over on the pitch, but hits the ball to the left of short third. The fielder dives, half stops, takes the sting out of the ball and parries the ball to the charging deep point fielder, to save a couple of runs as the Indians take a couple.

Shadab Khan to Ishan Kishan, Full and on off, Ishan shimmies down the track and blasts it past the bowler, to the right of long on for a couple more.

Shadab Khan to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! Into the gap! This is good, proactive batting by Kishan. Pitched outside leg, on a fuller length, spinning down leg. Kishan sweeps it powerfully to the long leg fence and picks up another boundary.

Shadab Khan to Ishan Kishan, SIX! That is a monster! Shadab dishes out a friendly half volley, on leg, Ishan Kishan picks the length in a trice and bludgeons it with a slog sweep, and parks it into the stands behind deep mid-wicket.

Shadab Khan to Ishan Kishan, Flighted up, full and on leg, Ishan Kishan gets down on a knee and sweeps it to the left of deep backward square leg. Faheem Ashraf moves across in the deep, fumbles, and that allows the batters to steal the second run.

5th bowler of the night for Pakistan. Here's the leggie Shadab Khan.

Abrar Ahmed to Ishan Kishan, A googly, short and outside off, and Ishan pulls this to deep mid-wicket for a single. 13 from the over. 24 from the last two.

Abrar Ahmed to Ishan Kishan, On a length, into the bodyline. Ishan is rushed on the back foot and pulls it to mid-wicket.

Abrar Ahmed to Ishan Kishan, A touch short, outside off, Ishan late cuts it, but this time, he finds short third.

Abrar Ahmed to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! PUNISHED! Abrar lands it full, outside off, Ishan Kishan gets a big stride forward and smashes it over covers for a cracking boundary. Abrar has been taken to the cleaners.

Abrar Ahmed to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! FIFTY FOR ISHAN KISHAN! Off just 27 balls, and he gets to his 9th T20I half century! Dropped full and on off, sliding in. Ishan Kishan gets on the front foot, gets under it and pumps it mercilessly to the left of Faheem Ashraf at long off for a boundary.

Abrar Ahmed to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! Deft touch! Abrar goes short and around off, Ishan Kishan waits for it on the back foot and delicately cuts it late to the right of the short third fielder for a boundary.

DRINKS BREAK! India will be relatively happy with the start. Despite losing Abhishek Sharma in the very first over, they have managed to keep the scoreboard ticking at close to 9 runs an over. The tacky nature of the surface has been evident in the opening exchanges, but Pakistan have not quite been able to string together consistent pressure with the ball. It remains to be seen how the middle phase unfolds as the ball begins to soften, and whether Pakistan can improve their discipline and make the conditions count.

Saim Ayub to Tilak Varma, FOUR! Good effort in the deep, but goes in vain. Tossed up, full and around leg at 84.9 kph. It lands, grips slightly and turns away. Varma shuffles outside leg, stretches forward and looks to push it away from his body, but gets a faint outside edge. The ball trickles along the ground, sneaking through between the keeper and short third. The sub fielder, Khawaja Nafay, from short third sprints after it and tries to flick it back in play with a dive, but he does not do so cleanly. The replay shows that his body was in contact with the ropes while holding the ball in his hand. India end their Powerplay with 52/1 on the board. This also brings up the 50-run partnership between Ishan and Tilak.

Saim Ayub to Ishan Kishan, Fractionally full, on middle, Ishan walks forward and eases it wide of cover for a single.

Saim Ayub to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! Just up and over! On a length, on off, Ishan Kishan camps back and pulls it over mid on for a boundary. Didn't time too well, but just enough to clear Shaheen Afridi in the ring.

Saim Ayub to Ishan Kishan, Slides in with the arm, on a length, Ishan Kishan plays off the back foot and blocks it.

Saim Ayub to Tilak Varma, Pushed fuller on middle, Tilak Varma tries to reverse, but gets a thick bottom edge and the ball rolls in front of square on the off side for a single.

Saim Ayub to Ishan Kishan, Nicely tossed up from a wider angle, around the stump. On a length, around off, Kishan presses back and punches it through mid off for a single.

Abrar Ahmed to Tilak Varma, Floated up again, around off, Varma pushes it off the front foot to cover. 11 runs off Abrar's first over.

Abrar Ahmed to Ishan Kishan, From around the wicket now, fuller and attacking the front pad, Ishan comes down the track and clips it behind square leg for a single.

Abrar Ahmed to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! Easy pickings! Abrar errs in line and length. Drops it way too short and outside off, Kishan needs no second invitation as he gets on top of the bounce and slams it past cover for a boundary.

Abrar Ahmed to Ishan Kishan, Much better from Abrar! On top of off and this is shorter at 93 kph, Ishan waits on it and steers it to short third at the last moment.

Abrar Ahmed to Ishan Kishan, Did that brush something? Another ball that is a bit too full and too straight as well, Ishan walks inside the line to play the fine sweep but misses. Not given as a wide because the ball brushed the pads.

Abrar Ahmed to Ishan Kishan, SIX! All the way! Loopy ball first up by Abrar, full and around leg. Kishan is quick to get down on a knee and he nails the slog sweep over backward square leg for a six.

This pitch does not seem to have many demons as of now, but the odd ball has stopped and gripped for the tweakers. And speaking of turn, here's the spinner number 3 for Pakistan. Abrar Ahmed is called into the attack, replacing Salman Agha.

Saim Ayub to Ishan Kishan, Direct hit! This stays a bit low, shorter and on off, Ishan adjusts to the low bounce and punches it in front of mid on. He scampers through for a quick single. Shaheen Afridi scores a direct hit at the bowling end but Kishan is safely home with a dive.

Saim Ayub to Ishan Kishan, Oh, Ishan takes out his partner at the other end! On the fuller side, on off, Kishan hangs on the back foot and powers it down the strip. Tilak Varma does not have any time to react and he fails to get out of the firing line. Brings his hand out in front to take evasive action. The ball drops down off his body on the strip.

Saim Ayub to Ishan Kishan, Ayub gets away with it! Short again and a bit too wide, Kishan gets the width to free his arms but he picks out the cover fielder.

Saim Ayub to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! Put away with ease! This is quicker through the air, short and angled in, on middle. Kishan rocks on the back foot in a flash and pulls it over square leg for a boundary.

Saim Ayub to Ishan Kishan, That turned a long way! Shorter and a bit wide, the turn takes it further away from the batter. Kishan reaches out and bunts it off the toe end to cover.

Saim Ayub to Ishan Kishan, This is dropped short, on off, Kishan hangs deep in the crease and looks to force it down the ground. The ball stops on him, and he chips it on the bounce to Saim.

Will Shaheen get another over? Nah, he won't. Spin from both ends as Saim Ayub will roll his arm over.

Salman Agha to Ishan Kishan, In the air... but safe! Floated up by Agha, full and outside off. Ishan reaches out in front for the slog sweep but he is not to the pitch of the ball. Slices it aerially, but luckily for him, the ball drops well in front of the charging Babar Azam at long off. Just a single.

Salman Agha to Tilak Varma, This is kept flat and short, on middle. Varma taps it beside the strip on the leg side and sneaks in a quick single. Salman gets to the ball quickly, picks it up before turning around and having a shy at the bowling end. He misses but it would not have mattered much as Varma was in.

Salman Agha to Ishan Kishan, Flatter and shorter, on middle. Kishan whips it to the left of mid on and crosses over.

Salman Agha to Ishan Kishan, Not in control but safe! Around off, fractionally short, Kishan gets down on a knee for the sweep but fails to get on top of it. Gets a top edge that sails over backward square leg and drops out of the reach of the chasing Sahibzada Farhan. Two runs taken. Usman Khan and Ishan Kishan bump into each other as the throw comes in from the deep, but no harm is done.

Salman Agha to Ishan Kishan, Salman drags the length back and it is slowed down, on middle and leg. Ishan jumps out of the crease and looks to clip it away, but is beaten on the inside edge. The ball goes off the pads to backward point.

Salman Agha to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! Up and over! Flighted delivery from around the wicket, on middle. A bit too full, Kishan drops on a knee, clears the front leg and clubs it over mid on. One bounce and over the ropes.

Shaheen Afridi to Tilak Varma, FOUR! Off the edge! Tilak Varma is underway with a streaky boundary. This moves away in the air, in the channel, on a good length. Varma goes searching for the ball and hangs his bat out away from his body. The ball takes the outside edge and goes well wide of the man at first slip and the deep third fielder is also beaten. 15 runs off Shaheen's first over.

Shaheen Afridi to Tilak Varma, Afridi pushes the length up and finds a bit of away shape, on off. Varma presents a straight bat for the block. The ball squirts off an outside edge to backward point.

Shaheen Afridi to Tilak Varma, Hits the top of off, does Shaheen. Tilak covers the line and defends it right under his eyes.

Shaheen Afridi to Ishan Kishan, On a good length, on off, Kishan swipes it in front of square on the leg side and crosses over.

Shaheen Afridi to Ishan Kishan, INSIDE EDGE, FOUR! On any other day, that would have gone back onto the stumps. In and around the off pole, on a short of a length. Ishan has a big heave across the line. Gets an inside edge that sneaks past the off stump and races down to the deep fine leg fence.

Shaheen Afridi to Ishan Kishan, SIX! Shaheen Afridi is greeted with a biggie! Afridi starts with a short ball, in line with the left shoulder. Ishan gets his hands high and gets on top of the bounce. Nails the pull and the ball slams the scoreboard behind the deep square leg fence.

Pakistan are all over the moon. The plan to go spin straightaway has worked wonders for them. Out goes one southpaw, and in comes another - Tilak Varma at number 3. Shaheen Afridi to share the attack from the opposite end.

Salman Agha to Abhishek Sharma, OUT! CAUGHT! A masterstroke from Salman Agha. Pakistan have a massive wicket early in the game. Abhishek Sharma goes for a four-ball duck, his second duck in this World Cup. Agha spears it in, on middle. Not all that short for the pull and the ball skids through after pitching. Abhishek presses back for the pull but is hurried, and he ends up spooning it tamely to mid on, where Shaheen Afridi takes a sitter at the edge of the ring. INDIA ARE 1/1 AFTER 1 OVER!

Salman Agha to Abhishek Sharma, Three dots in a row! This is slower through the air, fuller and outside off. Abhishek reaches out and cuts it to cover-point.

Salman Agha to Abhishek Sharma, Sliding in again, on a length, on middle. Abhishek plays a punchy drive along the ground to extra cover.

Salman Agha to Abhishek Sharma, Pushed through again, fractionally fuller, around off. Sharma slaps it straight to cover.

Salman Agha to Ishan Kishan, Dragged down a touch, on middle, Ishan advances and pulls it to deep mid-wicket. With this single, Kishan and India are off the mark!

Salman Agha to Ishan Kishan, Agha begins from around the wicket and this is darted into the left-hander, on a nagging length, on middle. Ishan watchfully defends.

The anthems are sung/chanted with pride and it is time to get down to real business in the Sri Lankan capital. The stands are packed to the rafters with not a single vacant seat. The two umpires walk out as the Pakistani players form a last-minute huddle before spreading across the park. Now then, the two Indian openers - Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan make their way out to the crease. And we will have spin straightaway. The Pakistani skipper, Salman Agha, has the new ball. Two left-handers at the crease. Interesting stuff. Ishan to face. Here we go!

National anthem time - A great sight as the giant flags of both countries are unveiled in the middle. Out come the match officials. And now, the players of both teams walk out through the fireworks along with the mascots as it is time for the national anthems. It will be Pakistan's first, followed by the Indian national anthem.

PITCH REPORT - Harbhajan Singh and Parthiv Patel are pitchside. Harbhajan shares that the surface looks well-rolled and hard, adding that it is the same pitch where Zimbabwe had defeated Australia a few days ago, albeit in a day game. He explains that with this being a night fixture and the pitch having been rolled nicely, it should offer good batting conditions with plenty of runs on offer. Bhajji expects the surface to slow down with time. He also points out that the bigger boundaries would make clearing the ropes more challenging. Parthiv then details the ground dimensions, stating that the square boundaries are 74 metres and 70 metres. He adds that the straight boundary is the longest at 84 metres, stressing that big hitting would require precise execution. Harbhajan adds that the team capable of rotating strike effectively, mixing singles and doubles with occasional boundaries, would hold the advantage. He feels that the pitch would not offer much spin, making adaptability crucial, especially given the large dimensions. He highlights that players who handle spin well and play intelligently would have the upper hand. For the seamers, he advises bowling back of a length and relying on cutters to be effective on this surface.

The Indian skipper - Suryakumar Yadav says that they were looking to bat first. Shares that they have seen the past results here and that they have won the previous two games while batting first, so they don't want to change anything. He admits it is easy to say it is just another game, but acknowledges that it is an occasion with high stakes. Believes that it is important to stay in the present and be clear about what you want to do. Adds that sport teaches you many lessons, and on any given day, anyone can step up and make a difference. Informs that Abhishek Sharma is back and Kuldeep Yadav comes in for Arshdeep Singh.

The captain of Pakistan - Salman Agha says it looks like a tacky wicket, so he feels that it will assist the bowlers for the first few overs and adds that they want to use that. Mentions that they are relaxed and focused in the group and excited for this challenge. About the observations from the previous game here, he says it is a bigger ground than the SSC and details that it is a bit slower too. Shares that they have been playing on these kinds of pitches for the last few months, so they have the idea about how to play in such conditions. Informs that they are going with the same side for this game.

Pakistan (Unchanged Playing XI) - Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha (C), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (WK), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq.

India (Playing XI) - Abhishek Sharma (In for Sanju Samson), Ishan Kishan (WK), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav (In for Arshdeep Singh), Varun Chakaravarthy and Jasprit Bumrah.

TOSS - Time for the coin to go up in Colombo. Suryakumar Yadav and Salman Agha have made their way out to the middle. 'Heads' is the call from Salman, and he gets it right. Pakistan elect to BOWL first.

Namibia out of reckoning - Gerhard Erasmus's side has suffered their third straight defeat, going down to the USA in the afternoon game in Chennai. The Monank Patel-led USA posted 199, and although Namibia looked promising at the halfway mark of the chase, they eventually lost momentum and fell away. The USA remain in the race, while the winner tonight here in Colombo will qualify for the Super 8 stage.

Look who's here - Former India captain Rohit Sharma, the man who led the team to their last T20 World Cup triumph, is in the house. Rohit, who is also an ambassador for this World Cup, is seen on the sidelines greeting the Indian players as they prepare for the big clash.

Time for the action - Enough of the numbers. It is time to get down to business. Strap in, because this promises to be a contest worthy of all the hype. As for the weather in Colombo, conditions are currently dry and let's hope it stays that way. With the weather holding up, it has allowed Indian rapper Hanumankind to get the atmosphere buzzing ahead of this blockbuster clash.

Batting might, bowling bite - With the bat, the firepower is undeniable. Since the last T20 World Cup, India, with 388 sixes and Pakistan, with 316, rank among the top three for most sixes hit in T20Is among the teams present at this World Cup. Their bowling numbers are equally striking. Among the teams competing at this World Cup, these two are part of an elite trio averaging under 20 with the ball in T20Is during this period, with India at 18.6 and Pakistan close behind at 19.4.

Subcontinental stronghold - Sri Lankan conditions have proven fruitful for both sides. They are the only visiting teams with more than 10 T20I wins in the country, with India winning 15 of their 19 matches and Pakistan claiming 11 wins from 15 outings.

Beyond the head-to-head - The head-to-head record in T20 World Cups may read 7-1 in India's favour, and the Men in Blue may have won the last five T20I meetings between the two sides, but a deeper look at the numbers shows this battle is far more evenly matched than the rivalry ledger alone suggests.

It's showtime - Hello, everyone! Ever since the fixtures were announced, the immediate questions were, are India and Pakistan in the same group, and if so, when is the marquee clash? It did not take long for this blockbuster to be highlighted on calendars around the world. After what has felt like an endless wait, and after all the uncertainty surrounding the game, we are here. India versus Pakistan on a Sunday. What more could you ask for?

... MATCH DAY ...

Sunday blockbuster - After all the uncertainty over whether the fixture would go ahead, decks have finally been cleared as arch-rivals India and Pakistan prepare to square off at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. These two sides do not engage in bilateral cricket, which only intensifies the anticipation whenever they meet in ICC tournaments or the Asia Cup. Both teams are part of Group A, and the stakes are significant. The winner will seal progression to the Super 8 stage. For the loser, it will not be the end of their campaign, but qualification would then hinge on winning their final group game. Pakistan's journey so far - Salman Agha's men are based in Colombo for the group stage, though their first two matches were played at the city's other venue, the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground. They survived a massive scare against the Netherlands before brushing aside the USA. Middle overs a concern - A recurring theme in their two games so far, and in the lead-up to the World Cup, has been a dip in scoring rate outside the Powerplay. They have not fully capitalised on the strong starts provided by their openers and will need to address that if they are to make a deep run. Top order in focus - The last time Pakistan faced India, Sahibzada Farhan's 57 set the tone in the Asia Cup final. He, alongside Saim Ayub, will once again be crucial at the top. In the lead-up to the World Cup, Salman Agha promoted himself to number three to counter spin outside the Powerplay, but is yet to make a significant impact. Babar Azam has found runs, yet the overall tempo through the middle overs continues to invite scrutiny. Conditions versus combinations - Head coach Mike Hesson and skipper Salman Agha read the conditions well against the USA. They went in with just one specialist quick in Shaheen Afridi and loaded the side with spin options, a move that paid off handsomely. Once again, much will depend on how they assess the surface and balance their attack accordingly. There is, however, a lingering concern around Afridi's effectiveness with the new ball, as he has not been as incisive in the Powerplay as he once was. Against an Indian side that comes hard in the Powerplay and bats deep, the new ball battle could well shape the contest. India's tale - The opening two games have shown the two-time champions and reigning holders that defending the title will not be straightforward. They were reduced to 77/6 by the USA and then, against Namibia, lost their way after racing out of the blocks and failed to finish strongly. Suryakumar Yadav's side has looked less comfortable on pitches where the ball has stopped in the surface, something that could once again come into play in Colombo. Availability concerns and a tricky matchup - Abhishek Sharma missed the previous game due to a stomach infection that required hospitalisation. Although he has been discharged, he may need another match to fully recover. If Abhishek is unavailable, Sanju Samson could get another opportunity, though he has too often thrown away promising starts rather tamely. India were unsettled by Namibia's skipper, Gerhard Erasmus and his varied release points, and a similar examination awaits in Usman Tariq, whom they will be facing for the first time. His pause at release has troubled batters not only in this tournament but also in the competitions leading up to the global event, whether at the international or franchise level. The Kuldeep conundrum - The last time these sides met in Colombo during the 2023 Asia Cup in the ODI format, Kuldeep Yadav claimed a five-wicket haul. He has not featured so far this World Cup, with India preferring Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy as the frontline spin options. With spinners enjoying success at the venue, the Indian think tank could be tempted to bring in the left-arm wrist spinner. The dilemma would be whether to do so at the expense of Arshdeep Singh, with Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah continuing as the primary pace options, or to trim batting depth to accommodate an extra specialist spinner. Form (Last 5 completed T20Is, most recent first) - India - WWWLW | Pakistan - WWWWW. What do the numbers say? India hold a commanding lead in the T20 World Cups. The head-to-head record stands at 7-1 in India's favour, with Pakistan's only win coming in Dubai in 2021 in a dominant 10-wicket triumph. That remains Pakistan's sole victory over their arch-rivals in Men's World Cup history, across both ODI and T20I formats. Recent form also favours India. The last five T20Is between the two sides have all gone the way of the team in blue. Spin to win? In the 6 competitive white-ball games played at the R Premadasa Stadium since the start of the year, 51 out of the 83 wickets have fallen to spin. The spinners have operated at an economy rate of 5.66. In comparison, the pacers have claimed 32 wickets at a higher economy rate of 7.28, underlining the influence spin has had at the venue. Weather check - Sri Lanka's Department of Meteorology has flagged the possibility of a developing low-pressure system in the region. Typically, in these parts, the heat builds through the day before the heavens open in the evening. Let's hope that is not the case this time and that we get an uninterrupted spectacle under the lights.