India qualified for the Super 8 stage of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 with a 61-run win over Pakistan in Colombo, powered by Ishan Kishan's explosive 77 off 40 balls. Abhishek Nayar and Sunil Gavaskar, along with former Pakistan Captain Waqar Younis, praised India’s superior preparation, strong batting partnerships, Suryakumar Yadav’s composure, and noted that Pakistan's late use of Usman Tariq cost them the match.
Abhishek Nayar explained why India were so far ahead of Pakistan in every department:
"The preparation and the difference in skill levels stood out. You could see Indian batters had more flair and options. Look at how Ishan Kishan played in the Powerplay. He was sweeping, using his feet and playing pull shots. It felt like the Indian players had studied the opposition much better than Pakistan had studied our fast bowlers. In every area and aspect of the game, from the toss to the bowling changes, India were way ahead."
On how well India's batters executed their plans:
"There was a lot of communication between the Indian batters out in the middle and messages were being sent out constantly. Tilak Varma was told to rally around Ishan Kishan and make sure he got strike because Ishan was doing the damage. When Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma got together, that was a critical phase. They took the partnership till the 15th over. You don't want back-to-back wickets after losing a player like Ishan Kishan. Surya and Tilak put on 38 runs in their partnership and accelerated perfectly. They were setting up the game and a target for Pakistan. There are always entry points for certain players. India played it so perfectly that every batter knew their role and executed their innings perfectly."
Sunil Gavaskar credited Suryakumar Yadav for bringing situational awareness into the match:
"You have to play according to the situation, and that is what Captain Suryakumar Yadav has done. He has led from the front. In the match against USA, when India were in trouble at 77 for 6, Surya bailed the team out and here against Pakistan, when he came out to bat, India were at 88-2 and then he batted till the 19th over, scoring 32 runs. Yes, he didn’t bat at a high- strike rate, but he ensured that the wickets didn’t fall, keeping hold of one end. So, the rest of the team understands that in T20 cricket, you don't want dot balls. You want to reduce them, but you also don't want to throw your wicket away trying to hit sixes. Being aware of the match situation, ground conditions, and even which way the wind is blowing is important and Suryakumar Yadav has brought that awareness into this Indian team."
Waqar Younis identified Pakistan’s tactical errors:
"Pakistan lost the game in the first innings. Once India reached 175, the game was out of Pakistan's reach. The ball was spinning, and Suryakumar Yadav was smart with his bowling changes. He gave the new ball to Hardik Pandya up front. Jasprit Bumrah was outstanding as always, attacking the stumps, swinging and seaming the ball. It was very difficult for Pakistan after that. When you look at how much spin Pakistani bowlers got, I don't think they used them as well as India did. But the game was over in the first innings because India scored too many runs. Salman Ali Agha allowed that to happen by not introducing Usman Tariq early. Tariq was superb, taking a wicket and conceding just 24 runs. We have been talking about him for weeks. But he was held back for too long. By the time he got the ball, Ishan Kishan had already done the damage. That is where the match was lost. We always knew Pakistan's batting is not great. But if India had scored 140 or 150 instead of 175, things might have been different."
