In the T20 World Cup 2026 match against arch-rivals, Pakistan, Team India emerged victorious by 61 runs at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. Having put to chase a target of 176 runs, Pakistan was bowled out for 114 runs in 18 overs. Opening batsman Sahibzada Farhan departed on a four-ball duck. Fellow opening batsman Saim Ayub scored six runs in two balls, with the help of a maximum. Skipper Salman Ali Agha managed to score four runs in four balls, including a boundary. Premier batsman Babar Azam was dismissed for five runs in seven balls. Wicketkeeper-batsman Usman Khan played a knock of 44 runs off 34 deliveries, which was laced with six boundaries and a maximum. Shadab Khan returned to the pavilion on 14 runs in 15 balls, with the help of a boundary. Mohammad Nawaz registered four runs in five balls, including a boundary. Facing 14 balls, Faheem Ashraf scored 10 runs, with the help of a boundary. Abrar Ahmed and Usman Tariq were dismissed on ducks each. Ahmed was dismissed on the very first ball of his innings, whereas Tariq's innings ended in three balls. Shaheen Shah Afridi stayed unbeaten on 23 runs off 19 balls, including two boundaries and a maximum. Team India's Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakaravarthy claimed two wickets each. Kuldeep Yadav and Tilak Varma also chipped in with one wicket each. Rinku Singh went wicketless in the T20 World Cup 2026 match against Pakistan. Earlier, having put to bat first, Team India's swashbuckling opening batsman Abhishek Sharma departed on a four-ball duck. This also marked his second duck in the ongoing global showpiece. Despite losing an early wicket, fellow opening batsman Ishan Kishan smashed 77 runs off just 40 deliveries. His knock was laced with 10 boundaries and three maximums. Tilak Varma returned to the pavilion after playing a knock of 25 runs in 24 balls, with the help of two boundaries and a maximum. Premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel were dismissed on ducks each. Skipper Suryakumar registered a score of 32 runs, which came in 29 balls, with the help of three boundaries. Shivam Dube also smashed 27 runs off 17 deliveries. His knock also included three boundaries and a maximum. Rinku Singh stayed unbeaten on 11 runs off four balls, which also included a boundary and a maximum. With this, the "Men in Blue" posted a total of 175 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs. Pakistan's star all-rounder Saim Ayub returned with the figures of three wickets for 25 runs in four overs. Skipper Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Usman Tariq also bagged one wicket each. Abrar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, and Mohammad Nawaz went wicketless in the T20 World Cup 2026 match against arch-rivals, Team India.
15 February,2026 10:48 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the T20 World Cup 2026 match against Pakistan, Team India's swashbuckling opening batsman Ishan Kishan played a stunning knock of 77 runs off just 40 deliveries. His knock was laced with 10 boundaries and three maximums. Reflecting on his knock, former Team India cricketer Irfan Pathan shared a post on his official social media handle. "Ishan Kishan has taken the surprise ploy of Pakistan so well. Brilliant 👏," read the post's caption. Ishan Kishan has taken the surprise ploy of Pakistan so well. Brilliant 👏 — Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) February 15, 2026 Earlier, having put to bat first, Team India's swashbuckling opening batsman Abhishek Sharma departed on a four-ball duck. This also marked his second duck in the ongoing global showpiece. Tilak Varma returned to the pavilion after playing a knock of 25 runs in 24 balls, with the help of two boundaries and a maximum. Premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel were dismissed on ducks each. Skipper Suryakumar registered a score of 32 runs, which came in 29 balls, with the help of three boundaries. Shivam Dube also smashed 27 runs off 17 deliveries. His knock also included three boundaries and a maximum. Rinku Singh stayed unbeaten on 11 runs off four balls, which also included a boundary and a maximum. With this, the "Men in Blue" posted a total of 175 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs. Pakistan's star all-rounder Saim Ayub returned with the figures of three wickets for 25 runs in four overs. Skipper Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Usman Tariq also bagged one wicket each. Abrar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, and Mohammad Nawaz went wicketless in the T20 World Cup 2026 match against arch-rivals, Team India. Earlier, after winning the toss, Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha said, "We want to bowl first. It looks a bit tacky, so we feel it will assist the bowlers for the first few overs, so we want to use that. We are relaxed in our group and excited for this challenge. Bigger ground than SSC and the pitch is slower than SSC. Same team for us". On the other hand, Team India captain Suryakumar Yadav said, "We definitely wanted to bat first; the results here have shown the value of putting runs on the board and defending them well. Since that approach has worked for us throughout the tournament, there was no reason to change anything tonight. India–Pakistan games are never just another match—they carry huge stakes—but staying present and trusting your skills is crucial. The message is simple: focus on what needs to be done, bring your best version to the field, and don’t drift away from your process. This sport humbles you quickly; on any given day anyone can step up, which is why form and mindset matter so much. We’ve made two changes today—Abhishek Sharma returns, and Kuldeep Yadav replaces Arshdeep Singh to freshen up our attack". (With ANI Inputs)
15 February,2026 10:04 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the T20 World Cup 2026 match against Namibia, the United States of America (USA) emerged victorious by 31 runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. In an attempt to chase a target of 200 runs, Namibia managed to score 168 runs for the loss of six wickets in 20 overs. Opening batsman Louren Steenkamp scored 58 runs in 39 balls, with the help of five boundaries and three maximums. Fellow opening batsman Jan Frylinck departed after scoring 19 runs in 15 balls, including a boundary and a maximum. Nicol Loftie-Eaton scored 28 runs before returning to the pavilion. His knock came in 17 balls, including four boundaries. Skipper Gerhard Erasmus scored just six runs in 10 balls. Facing 23 balls, JJ Smith scored 31 runs, with the help of a boundary and a maximum. Wicketkeeper-batsman Zane Green retired on the score of 18 runs. His knock included 13 boundaries with two boundaries. Ruben Trumpelmann and Dylan Leicher stayed unbeaten on three and zero runs. Trumpelmann faced just two balls, and Leicher's innings included just one ball. USA's Shadley van Schalkwyk returned with the figures of two wickets for 30 runs in four overs. Ali Khan, Saurabh Netravalkar, and Shubham Ranjane bagged one wicket each. Milind Kumar, Mohammad Mohsin, and Harmeet Singh went wicketless in the T20 World Cup 2026 match against Namibia. Having opted to bat first, the USA posted a total of 199 runs for the loss of four wickets. Skipper Monank Patel played a knock of 52 runs off just 30 deliveries, including three boundaries and the same number of maximums. Wicketkeeper-batsman Shayan Jahangir scored 22 runs in 18 balls, with the help of two boundaries and a maximum. Saiteja Mukkamalla accumulated 17 runs in 18 balls, including two boundaries. Sanjay Krishnamurthi garnered an unbeaten 68 runs off 33 balls, laced with four boundaries and six maximums. Milind Kumar also registered 28 runs after facing 20 balls, and smashed a boundary and a maximum. Shubham Ranjane stayed unbeaten on five runs in two balls, including a boundary. Namibia skipper Gerhard Erasmus and Willem Pieter Myburgh claimed two wickets each. Having bowled three overs, Erasmus conceded 27 runs, whereas Myburgh was smashed for 22 runs in four overs. Ruben Trumpelmann, JJ Smit, Max Heingo, Bernard Scholtz, and Nicol Loftie-Eaton went wicketless in the T20 World Cup 2026 match against the USA.
15 February,2026 08:04 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn the T20 World Cup 2026 match against Team India, Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha has won the toss and elected to bowl first at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. The "Green Shirts" will enter with the unchanged paying XI. The side will be expecting their star batsman, Saim Ayub, to bring out his 'A-game'. After winning the toss, Pakistan skipper Salman said, "We want to bowl first. It looks a bit tacky, so we feel it will assist the bowlers for the first few overs, so we want to use that. We are relaxed in our group and excited for this challenge. Bigger ground than SSC and the pitch is slower than SSC. Same team for us". The "Men in Blue" will enter the clash with two major changes. Abhishek Sharma has returned to the side after missing out on the previous clash due to a stomach infection. Also, star pacer Arshdeep Singh will make way for the mystery spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Team India captain Suryakumar Yadav said, "We definitely wanted to bat first; the results here have shown the value of putting runs on the board and defending them well. Since that approach has worked for us throughout the tournament, there was no reason to change anything tonight. India–Pakistan games are never just another match—they carry huge stakes—but staying present and trusting your skills is crucial. The message is simple: focus on what needs to be done, bring your best version to the field, and don’t drift away from your process. This sport humbles you quickly; on any given day anyone can step up, which is why form and mindset matter so much. We’ve made two changes today—Abhishek Sharma returns, and Kuldeep Yadav replaces Arshdeep Singh to freshen up our attack". T20 World Cup 2026, IND vs PAK: Confirmed Playing XI India: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (WK), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah. Pakistan: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha (C), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (WK), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq.
15 February,2026 07:04 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the T20 World Cup 2026 clash against arch-rivals, Pakistan, Team India skipper Suryakumar Yadav will not indulge in the customary handshake with the captain of the "Green Shirts", Salman Ali Agha, maintaining the status quo since the Asia Cup 2025. "The No handshake Policy will continue," a BCCI official in Colombo confirmed, requesting anonymity. The two teams are set to clash against each other at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. Both India and Pakistan have played two matches each in the tournament so far and have registered victories in their respective fixtures. While India will enter the contest on the back of wins against the United States of America and Namibia, Pakistan has defeated the Netherlands and the USA. Ahead of the match, fans will keep a tab on Team India's swashbuckling batsman Abhishek Sharma. The left-handed batsman will be expected to deliver a big knock in the high-pressure clash against the "Green Shirts". Additionally, Ishan Kishan, who is enjoying his rich vein of form, will be looking forward to replicating his performances from the previous matches. On the other hand, it will be interesting to see if Pakistan's spinner Usman Tariq manages to pick up wickets against the "Men in Blue". His unique bowling action has been the talk of the town. Along with him, Babar Azam, who has had a mixed bag of results in the tournament so far, will be expected to showcase his skills with the willow. Will the "Men in Blue" be able to continue their winning momentum against the "Green Shirts"? The title clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be played on March 8, with the venue yet to be decided. T20 World Cup 2026, IND vs PAK: Full squads India's squad: Ishan Kishan(w), Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Abhishek Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar. Pakistan's squad: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Usman Khan(w), Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq, Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah, Salman Mirza, Khawaja Nafay. (With PTI Inputs)
15 February,2026 06:31 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAhead of the high-octane clash between arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, the cricket fans have gathered in huge numbers at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Several fans were seen waving flags, chanting slogans, wearing their team's jerseys and creating an electrifying atmosphere as they awaited the commencement of one of the most storied rivalries. Both India and Pakistan have played two matches each in the tournament so far and have registered victories in their respective fixtures. While India will enter the contest on the back of wins against the United States of America and Namibia, Pakistan has defeated the Netherlands and the USA. The Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian side currently tops Group A with four points and a Net Run Rate (NRR) of +3.050, while Pakistan are placed second with four points and an NRR of +0.932. T20 WC: Fans create electrifying atmosphere at Premadasa Stadium ahead of India-Pakistan clashRead @ANI Story | https://t.co/2cOE0jGOHN#India #Pakistan #INDvsPAK #PAKvsIND #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/mGeaDrERT8 — ANI Digital (@ani_digital) February 15, 2026 Ahead of the match, fans will keep a tab on Team India's swashbuckling batsman Abhishek Sharma. The left-handed batsman will be expected to deliver a big knock in the high-pressure clash against the "Green Shirts". Additionally, Ishan Kishan, who is enjoying his rich vein of form, will be looking forward to replicating his performances from the previous matches. On the other hand, it will be interesting to see if Pakistan's spinner Usman Tariq manages to pick up wickets against the "Men in Blue". His unique bowling action has been the talk of the town. Along with him, Babar Azam, who has had a mixed bag of results in the tournament so far, will be expected to showcase his skills with the willow. The title clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be played on March 8, with the venue yet to be decided. T20 World Cup 2026, IND vs PAK: Full squads India's squad: Ishan Kishan(w), Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Abhishek Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar. Pakistan's squad: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Usman Khan(w), Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq, Fakhar Zaman, Naseem Shah, Salman Mirza, Khawaja Nafay. (With ANI Inputs)
15 February,2026 06:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFormer Team India spinner Harbhajan Singh has defended swashbuckling batsman Abhishek Sharma after the former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir labelled him a "slogger". In his defence, Harbhajan said that Abhishek has all the shots that not all batsmen have. He also explained that Abhishek continues to strike the ball till the time he is in the crease. "Abhishek Sharma is a quality player, and he is a player who is determined to win matches on his own. And not once, but he can do it again and again. I have played cricket, and I know that he is a proper batter who has all the shots; a lot of batsmen don't have all the shots. A slogger is someone who only sees the ball and slogs; if it connects, great, and if it doesn't, that's fine too. He is not like that. He hits the first ball. And as long as he is on the crease, he keeps hitting. So, he is a proper batsman, he said. "People may say whatever they want. Because, in my opinion, I don't think they have ever bowled in front of such a batter, and hence, it is wrong to comment that Abhishek is a slogger," added Harbhajan. Further speaking, the 45-year-old former cricketer urged Abhishek to showcase his explosive batting and is hopeful that Team India post a strong total riding on the left-handed batsman's knock. "If I tell you the definition of a slogger, then a lot of people will get angry. So, I don't want to say that. Because we don't operate on that level, that they say something and we react again and again. I don't want to do that. Because maybe he wants us to react. But, anyway, I'll say, Abhishek, show us tomorrow what you showed us before. And show us, what Abhishek can do. And I have a lot of hope from Abhishek. And if he plays for a long time, then Team India will set a very long score," he said. The T20 World Cup 2026 match between arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, is scheduled to be played on February 15 at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. India's squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishan Kishan (WK), Rinku Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Tilak Varma. (With ANI Inputs)
15 February,2026 04:12 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentFormer Pakistan pacer Sarfraz Nawaz has admitted that India are favourites for the blockbuster T20 World Cup clash against the arch-rivals in Colombo on Sunday due to better team balance. “I will be happy if Pakistan wins, but cricket logic wise, India are favourites. Pakistan should concentrate on playing cricket only, nothing else. India have a balanced side. They have everything except the lack of strength in the batting tail. Pakistan’s bowling is better than their batters,” Nawaz, 77, who claimed 177 wickets in 55 Tests and 63 wickets in 45 ODIs, told Sunday mid-day on Saturday. Nawaz, who played from 1969-1984, is not happy with Pakistan’s team selection for the tournament. “It’s a mistake that they dropped Muhammad Rizwan, the only real fighter in the team. Why have they brought back Babar Azam again? He has failed on many occasions,” he remarked. However, the former right-arm pacer admitted that Pakistan will have an upper hand in terms of location. “Pakistan will have some advantages since they have reached Colombo earlier than India. But India have advantages in all other aspects,” Nawaz signed off. 2022The year Pakistan last beat India in a T20 match
15 February,2026 10:50 AM IST | Kolkata | Debasish DattaLegendary Australian opener Matthew Hayden’s daughter Grace, has provided a new twist to the adage ‘Like father, like son,’ by emulating her dad with the bat on social media during the ongoing T20 World Cup. Grace, 23, who is working with the host broadcaster for the tournament, is seen showcasing a glimpse of her batting — albeit as a right hander, while her father was a southpaw. The video features clips of her batting interspersed with frames featuring Matthew playing for Australia in the 2007 T20 World Cup. The video has received over three million views, and over one lakh ‘likes.’
15 February,2026 10:16 AM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentAdil Rashid’s triple strike set up the contest before Tom Banton’s unbeaten half century guided England to a crucial five-wicket win over Scotland, keeping their Super Eights hopes alive in the T20 World Cup, here on Saturday. In their must-win Group C clash after their shock loss to West Indies, two-time champions England first rode on Rashid (3-36) and Liam Dawson (2-34) to choke Scotland in the back end and bowl them out for 152 in 19.4 overs after opting to field. Scotland collapse Scotland were well-placed at 113 for 3 in 12.3 overs, but a dramatic collapse of five wickets for 14 runs turned the match. Rashid changed ends and grabbed three wickets, including that of skipper Richie Berrington (49), to derail the Scotland innings. In their modest chase, England were rocked early and slipped to 13 for 2 in two overs before Banton produced a match-winning 63 not out from 41 balls (4x4, 3x6). Ireland rout Oman Meanwhile, skipper Lorcan Tucker’s blistering 51-ball 94 was complemented by a disciplined bowling effort as Ireland powered to a massive 96-run win over Oman in a lop-sided Group ‘B’ T20 World Cup match. Sent in to bat, Tucker launched a ferocious counterattack, smashing 10 fours and four sixes as Ireland recovered from 47 for 3 to 235 for five, the highest total of this edition of the World Cup. Oman were bowled out for 139 in 18 overs. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 February,2026 10:02 AM IST | Kolkata | PTIWhen West Indies play in the World Cup they look like a totally different team. In the ongoing T20 World Cup, the Shai Hope-led team won their previous two games against Scotland and England. Interestingly, WI, who face Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium in a Sunday morning game, lost 1-2 to their Asian opponents at Sharjah last September. Caribbean left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein admitted that Nepal are a strong unit. “They [Nepal] are a well-gelled unit. If you check the amount of games they have played together, it’s quite a lot. Yes, they did defeat us in Sharjah, but most of our seniors weren’t there. So, it’s a match we look forward to, but we know what they’re capable of. We saw it in the last couple of games. They are a well-knit unit. On that day, you have to play your best cricket,” Hosein said during the pre-match press conference on Saturday. However, Nepal began their campaign with a strong show against England, but lost by four runs. They were outclassed by Italy by 10 wickets in their second game. “We were very disappointed with our effort against Italy. We went away from the game plan. We did that in our first game [vs England] and we got our backsides kicked in the second game [vs Italy]. We need to actually turn up tomorrow [Sunday] and put in a good effort,” Nepal head coach Stuart Law said.
15 February,2026 09:59 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh MayureADVERTISEMENT
