Ishan Kishan plays a shot during the T20 World Cup match against Pakistan in Colombo. (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson delivered a blunt and telling verdict after his side’s crushing 61-run defeat to India in the T20 World Cup in Colombo, admitting that one fearless innings had effectively decided the contest long before the chase fell apart. Hesson said Kishan’s aggressive approach and rare form proved the decisive difference in the marquee clash, acknowledging that the opener’s brilliance had dismantled Pakistan’s plans on a challenging surface.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“I think he’s fearless. He’s able to score on both sides of the ground. So, he’s not just committed to the leg side. We know he’s incredibly strong there, but he can reverse. So, if you’ve got spin, especially in the power play, it can be a challenge,” Hesson said after the match.

Kishan’s breathtaking 77 off 40 balls powered India to 175 for seven, but more importantly, it broke the backbone of Pakistan’s spin-heavy strategy on a slow Premadasa Stadium pitch. He attacked the slower bowlers with authority, scoring 66 runs off 37 deliveries against spin and forcing Pakistan’s bowlers out of their comfort zone.Hesson admitted that pressure created by Kishan forced his bowlers away from their strengths and ultimately changed the course of the match. He noted that apart from Kishan and a brief contribution from Shivam Dube, scoring was difficult, underlining just how exceptional the knock was. “That certainly was a standout amongst the whole match, really. The way Kishan played took the game away from us,” Hesson said.

Pakistan’s problems deepened in the chase as they collapsed for just 114, never recovering after early wickets. The heavy defeat pushed them to third place in Group A, leaving their qualification hopes dependent on beating Namibia in their final league match.Hesson admitted the loss had hit the team hard emotionally, given the magnitude of the fixture. He said the dressing room was deeply disappointed because the players understood how much the match meant. “We know that it’s a huge event — Pakistan against India. We’ve won five games on the bounce, we’re confident, but today we got outplayed,” he said.Despite the setback, Hesson urged his players to stay composed and respond positively. He emphasised that major tournaments often test teams under pressure and that Pakistan’s challenge now was to trust their decision-making and return stronger. He said the key question was how players reacted when put under pressure, whether they stuck to their basics or moved away from them. According to him, improving that response would be crucial in the matches ahead.

Nicolas Keenan (left) with Rob Jetten and (pic right) the Argentine midfielder during the Paris Olympics. (Credit: Instagram)

Nicolas Keenan, Argentina hockey star and partner of Dutch PM-elect, Rob Jetten, reflects on navigating LGBTQ+ identity in the world of international sportROURKELA: In the keenly-viewed, often-forbidding, rough and tumble world of international sports, it takes courage coming out. Argentina midfielder Nicolas Keenan is among the few openly gay players in men’s hockey. The two-time Olympian came out publicly about his sexuality sometime around 2023, when his relationship with Dutch politician Rob Jetten became public.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Leader of the centrist liberal party Democrats 66, Jetten is set to become the youngest prime minister of the Netherlands when his government will be sworn in later this month.Keenan, a regular face on the international hockey turfs of India — the 2016 junior World Cup his first stint here, currently playing the ongoing FIH Pro League — opened up to TOI on what it means to be a professional player from the LGBTQ+ community, FIH’s lack of recognition and how he sees himself as someone who can bring about change in society. Excerpts from an exclusive interview:How does it feel to be part of the LGBTQ+ community as a hockey player, especially since not many players are open about it?Before saying it out loud, it felt a little bit lonely because as you said, not many players were there that I could look up to. But when I started to explain my story, I began getting lots of messages from people in similar situations in hockey, other sports and different walks of life. So, it felt that the community was really supportive and that I was not alone on my journey.Several players, including Nike Lorenz, Mats Grambusch and Kaitlin Nobbs, have worn rainbow bands during matches. How important are symbols like these?I think symbols are important. I wish when I was growing up as a young hockey player, I had more of these around. But even now, as an experienced player, I feel there is a lot of work to be done. It’s nice to see and visualise these symbols, but at the same time, they can feel quite superficial in some ways.How can international sports federations, and the FIH in particular, do more to support the community?If you talk about FIH (International Hockey Federation), I really don’t know who FIH is. I wish I would have heard from them the moment my story came out, but I’ve never been reached. But other federations have reached out to me and I think it’s really important that federations in general try to create safe environments where people feel safe enough to be their true selves.What kind of response did you get from the Argentine and Dutch federations where you play club hockey for HC Klein Zwitserland?The president of the Argentinian federation was the minister that passed the law of equal marriage in Argentina. So, he was one of the first to text me. The Dutch federation has a special group that works on these kinds of issues. They always ask me how they can do better. But I tell them, don’t put all the weight on your shoulders, because it’s not just about the federation or the sport. There need to be changes in society. It’s something deeper.How does it feel to be in a position to inspire others?At the beginning, I was shy. But after I started receiving messages from people saying, ‘You made my day’ or ‘I can finally look up to someone’, I spoke with my partner. It was tricky at first because it made me sad to see so many people going through difficult situations. But after that conversation, I realised that if I can change someone’s day, it also makes mine. It’s not about becoming a figure or trying to reach a certain status. It’s about that young kid who might not even notice it now, but in 10 or 15 years might think, ‘Oh, Nico was there’.Could you tells us a bit about Rob Jetten, your partner, who is going to be the youngest PM in the Netherlands?As a young kid his passion was politics and to help people. So, it’s inspiring to see how he made his way being himself till he reached the top. Even if we come from two completely separate worlds, sports and politics, we have some similarities. Being with him inspired me to be myself and knowing that no matter who I am, who I love, I can still reach the top and be the best version of myself.And what it was like being in Buenos Aires in your youth and how did sport play a role in your growing up?We have a big club culture in Argentina. So, I played for the club Ciudad de Buenos Aires where my parents and grandparents played. It was a safe environment where my parents would just drop me off and I would be there the whole weekend playing different sports, mainly hockey. It’s where I made friends. So, sports for me feels like home. It feels like a safe space I can be in.

Indian fans during the match between India and Pakistan in Colombo. (PTI Photo)

No handshakes at the toss between captains, but for India-Pakistan greats, fans at Premadasa, it was just cricket.COLOMBO: The Indo-Pak relations on the field, in front of cameras, stayed where it had to stay. No handshakes.In Colombo on Sunday, there wasn’t the animosity that led up to the Asia Cup final last September. No one was taking pot-shots at each other, and television analysts from India were interviewing Pakistani players. But once it came to the toss, Salman Ali Agha and Surya Kumar Yadav handcuffed themselves from doing the most natural thing that they did all their lives – shaking hands with the opposition captain.

Agha said on Saturday that he wants cricket to be played in the spirit that it always was. Surya didn’t rule out the handshake either, but the ice couldn’t melt.But if you kept an eye on the proceedings before the game, you could see that people around the sport were ready to move on from the off-field animosities that made the cricket world toxic.Usman Tariq, the slinger mystery spinner of Pakistan, was doing warm-ups, and Harbhajan Singh, one of the staunchest critics of his action, was standing close by. Tariq didn’t care for whatever was said in the lead-up to the game. He did a ‘salaam’ to the senior practitioner of his art, and the Indian great reciprocated.It wasn’t just that. Harbhajan interviewed Sahibzada Farhan, who was India’s enemy No 1 in Dubai a few months ago, and it all looked pretty cordial. But the frame of the day was when the off-spinner had a long conversation with Misbah ul Haq.

Pakistan fans during the match between India and Pakistan. (PTI Photo)

One couldn’t help going back to the 2007 T20 final, when Misbah took on Bhajji and almost single-handedly turned the game. With Misbah still there, the Indian offie chose not to bowl the last over, and Joginder Sharma won the match for India. We don’t know if that was discussed, but you could see the friendly vibes of the two greats.Not too far away from the cricket action, Shabana Azmi, one of India’s greatest actresses, was speaking at the Ceylon Literary & Arts Festival. Recently, she was seen in a meaty role in a cricket-related film, Ghoomer, and when TOI asked her how she feels about all that is happening in the sport, Azmi said: “We keep forgetting that cricketers from both sides of the border are friends with each other, and it’s important that sports and arts should transcend national boundaries,” adding that it should act as an “adhesive” between the 2 nations.It drew quite a round of applause from the small gathering. And once you left the confines of the little auditorium and walked towards the massive Premadasa, you could see Indian and Pakistani fans getting their faces painted by the same artist. Of course, the Indians outnumbered the Pakistanis, but there wasn’t an iota of animosity. During Pakistan’s reply, at the fall of their sixth wicket in the 12th over, fans in green began exiting the ground.An Indian fan playfully told them, “You are leaving?” One Pakistanis replied, “We all have to leave at some point,” and then they shook hands.Probably there’s not much on the field either beyond the desperate desire to win a game of cricket. But then, that’s not for public consumption.

Hardik Pandya, right, celebrates with Ishan Kishan the wicket of Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan. (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: India’s emphatic triumph over arch-rivals Pakistan in the ICC T20 World Cup wasn’t just another win — it was, in Sachin Tendulkar’s words, a takeover scripted in the powerplay itself.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The batting icon summed up the night’s defining phase in a post on X. “The powerplay was where India took the game away from them. Ishan Kishan in the first innings, and the clinical bowling we saw in the second innings, made all the difference. We were always in the driver’s seat. India rocked it tonight,” he wrote.

That early surge came despite a shaky start. After Abhishek Sharma fell for a duck, Kishan unleashed a counterattack, smashing a brutal 77, off just 40 balls, that shifted momentum instantly. Tilak Varma added a steady 25, before skipper Suryakumar Yadav (32), along with Shivam Dube (27) and Rinku Singh (11 not out), delivered a composed finish to lift India to 175/7. Saim Ayub (3/25) was Pakistan’s standout bowler with three wickets.If Kishan seized the initiative, India’s bowlers sealed the verdict. Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel tore through the top order, reducing Pakistan to 34/4 inside powerplay. Usman Khan fought alone with 44, but Varun Chakaravarthy and the rest ensured Pakistan were bundled out for 114 in 18 overs.Former opener Virender Sehwag didn’t hold back either. “Ishan Kishan played like a real Dhurandhar. Among all minnows Pakistan looked like the easiest to beat for Bharat because of their 17th century approach to T-20 cricket, and they have taken a proper beating as usual. Full kambal kuttai,” he posted.The crushing win pushed India to a dominant 8-1 head-to-head record in tournament history and secured their Super 8 spot with three straight victories.

Ind vs Pak (Pic credit: ICC’s X Handle)

THE TIMES OF INDIA, COLOMBO: Thirty years ago — Feb 13, 1996 to be precise — an India-Pakistan combined XI played the Sri Lankan team at the Premadasa in solidarity with the war-torn island nation ahead of the World Cup. In perhaps the only-ever actual India-Pak XI to take a cricket field, the match was an attempt to showcase that Lanka held no threat and was indeed safe to play in.

Three decades later today, in this changed world of no-handshakes, that’s probably an irrelevant anecdote. Or is it? After an incredible amount of backroom negotiations, this T20 World Cup version of the India-Pakistan rivalry will finally take place in Colombo, signalling a sense of subcontinental ceasefire. The cricket bosses of all five Test-playing nations of the subcontinent, including absentee Bangladesh, are likely to be present at the Premadasa on Sunday.Even the captains of the two teams seem to have backed off from their shrill dislike of each other. Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha had a word or two of praise for India counterpart Suryakumar Yadav, who returned the compliment by saying, “They are a good team and are playing good cricket in this tournament.”With fans trooping in from different parts of India, the 35,000-strong ground will have a predominantly home ground feel for India. Pakistan, however, have the advantage of being in Colombo for a while, having played a couple of matches at SSC, and with an extra practice session under their belt. The fact is that the playing arena is bigger than most grounds in India and the pitch for the game is significantly slower than what SKY’s boys have played on of late at home.Both captains tried to water down the advantage factor for Pakistan. While Agha said it all came down to the performance on the day, Suryakumar said they have played in Sri Lanka many times to know what to expect. “Pakistan may have a slight advantage but we have the experience of so many tours. And we know how to play in these conditions and adjust as per the situation,” the India skipper said. Spinners and bowlers taking pace off could be key and Pakistan have played the spin quartet of mystery spinners Usman Tariq and Abrar Ahmed, left-arm finger Mohammed Nawaz and leggie Shadab Khan. It’s likely that Pakistan may drop either Shadab or Nawaz to try and fit in one pacer in Salman Mirza or Naseem Shah.‘SKY’ emulates Tariq actionThe talking point, though, is spinner Usman Tariq and ‘SKY’ accepted that the mystery slinger is “out of syllabus”. “But in an exam, you can’t leave a question like that, can you,” he joked, adding that India are taking preparations to counter the 31-year-old. In fact, once the India nets started, it was Surya who emulated with Tariq’s stop-start action to Abhishek Sharma, who has recuperated well from his illness and is ready to play.Surya, incidentally, bowled a couple of match-winning spells for India when they played in Sri Lanka at the same ground in a bilateral T20 series in 2024. It remains to be seen if he turns his arm over in match-situation on Sunday.Practice session cut short by rainAll these equations, though, can go for a toss if it rains on Sunday or if a truncated game is played. As India reached the second half of their practice session on Saturday, they were interrupted by an evening drizzle and the groundsmen immediately covered the entire ground. The forecast isn’t great for Sunday.

Colours of the rivalry: Local vendors set up shop with India and Pakistan jerseys outside R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo ahead of the big clash. (Photo/TimesofIndia.com)

TimesofIndia.com in Colombo: Saif, a fourth-division cricketer from Bengaluru, booked his flight, hotel and match tickets two months in advance. He even landed in the Sri Lankan capital three days before the match.“Pakistan is no match for India. Inshallah, we will beat them,” a jubilant Saif tells TimesofIndia.com on Sunday.Saif is among the 18,000 Indian fans who have travelled from India to watch the highly anticipated India-Pakistan match.Also See: IND vs PAK Live Score, T20 World Cup 2026Then there is Mohammad Infaz, a tuk tuk driver in Colombo who speaks fluent Hindi and echoes sentiments similar to Saif’s.“India are too strong. I think it will be a one-sided affair. Itna khatarnaak Indian team kabhi nahi dekha (This is the strongest Indian team I have seen). In T20s, on a given day anything can happen, but I have a feeling India will win,” he says while driving this reporter to the R Premadasa Stadium.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Usama, who has travelled from Lahore and is among the 12,000 Pakistani fans, carries a glimmer of hope.“We have never done well against India in World Cups. But this time, I feel we have an upper edge because we know the conditions better,” says Usama.The toss will take place at 6:30 PM local time and IST, but fans from both countries began lining up as early as 1 PM. All stadium gates will open to the public at 3:00 PM. A Sri Lanka Cricket official confirmed to TimesofIndia.com that all tickets have been sold out.Approximately 2,000 police officers and nearly 600 military personnel have been deployed to maintain security and regulate traffic for the match.

Sri Lanka Mirror, a local daily, has reported that India’s RAW intelligence agency, Indian security personnel, as well as private security officers assigned to the players, have arrived in Colombo to provide security for Indian players and spectators. It is also learnt that Pakistan’s security and intelligence agencies have reached Colombo to coordinate and assist with the security arrangements.Prasanna, who runs an Airbnb on Havelock Road, complains about not getting a match ticket for his die-hard Hardik Pandya fan.“No tickets for the locals,” he laughs. “We are only here to provide hospitality to our Indian and Pakistani friends.”Ryan de Silva, an ardent Mumbai Indians fan who also drives a tuk tuk, says he too wanted to see Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah in action.“I have been trying to get a ticket to see my Mumbai boys in action for a month, but I didn’t get lucky,” says de Silva, a Lasith Malinga fan.

After so much build-up, the stage is set for the battle between two bitter rivals, and both captains admitted in their pre-match press conferences that this is far more than just a game.“If you play any game, there is always pressure. When you play India-Pakistan, it is more about the occasion. No matter how much you say it is just another game, at the back of your mind you know which game you are playing,” Suryakumar Yadav said.Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha echoed similar views. “This game between India and Pakistan has always been a high-magnitude match and will continue to remain so in the future.”Former England captain Michael Atherton, in his column for The Times, described the India-Pakistan contest as a “toxic and politicised spectacle.”Atherton argued that the fixture has become too big to fail, underpinning the fragile global cricket economy, even as it serves as a proxy for political point-scoring.Yet, his view comes with privilege. Ask the vendors outside the R Premadasa Stadium selling flags, the cafe owners, or the tuk tuk drivers who have waited for this match since the schedule was announced.“Today I will earn more than ten times what I make in a month,” says a 55-year-old vendor selling jerseys outside the stadium.The India-Pakistan game will always matter. Arrive seven hours before the first ball and you understand why. This fixture is not for the faint-hearted. Fasten your seatbelt and enjoy the ride.

Ishan Kishan plays a shot during an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between India and Pakistan, at R Premadasa Stadium, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (PTI Photo)

TimesofIndia.com in Colombo: On a surface where timing was a luxury and survival itself felt like an act of resistance, Ishan Kishan produced one of the most belligerent innings of the ongoing T20 World Cup. Against Pakistan, on a R Premadasa Stadium pitch that gripped, turned and repeatedly forced batters to check their strokes, Kishan played an innings that lifted India to 175 for 7.The left-hander scored a stroke-filled 77 off 40 balls, while the rest of the Indian batters managed only 98 runs off 80 deliveries.From the very start, the signs were unmistakable. When Shaheen Afridi dug one in short, Kishan swivelled and sent it soaring into the stands. It was not reckless bravado. It was intent. With purchase for the spinners, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha opened the bowling himself and got rid of Abhishek Sharma, the batter everyone was talking about before the match.What transpired was a four-ball duck for Abhishek, who is yet to open his account in the T20 World Cup. Salman’s decision to open the bowling turned out to be a masterstroke. After three dot balls, Abhishek decided to go for a hoick, but the delivery was not there to pull and he miscued it to mid-on, where Shaheen completed an easy catch.Kishan understood early that Pakistan wanted the surface to do the damage. His answer was to stay ahead of it.Spin arrived quickly, and with it came the real examination. The off-spin of Salman Ali Agha and Saim Ayub found turn straightaway, with the ball holding up and deviating sharply off a length. Kishan responded not by retreating into defence, but by expanding his options. Sweeps, slog-sweeps, reverse hits and inside-out strokes flowed in succession, forcing Pakistan’s fielders into constant recalibration.The fifty came off just 27 balls, pumped straight back over the bowler’s head, and it told a story larger than numbers. This was Kishan batting with clarity, reading lengths early and trusting his hands even when his feet were not always planted. At one point, a possible cramp on right leg did little to slow him down. If anything, it sharpened his resolve.Against Abrar Ahmed’s googlies, Kishan showed rare adaptability. When the length was full, he went straight. When it was short, he rocked back and pierced the gaps. Even mistimed strokes fell safe, a testament to how deep Pakistan were forced to set their field. The message was clear. Defensive lines would not work.The most brutal phase came against Shadab Khan. A floated delivery on middle disappeared into the crowd via a ferocious slog-sweep. Another drifted down leg and was punished behind square. Pakistan’s plan of strangling India in the middle overs was being dismantled ball by ball.What made the innings stand out was not just the strokeplay, but the context. This was not a flat track designed for excess. The pitch demanded patience, yet Kishan refused to be trapped by it. He understood that in a high-pressure India-Pakistan contest, momentum matters as much as runs. Every boundary dented belief, every six silenced Pakistani fans in the stands.His dismissal, fittingly, came through craft rather than force. Saim Ayub slowed it down, drew Kishan across the crease and let the surface do the rest. The ball gripped, turned and clipped the top of middle and leg. Pakistan celebrated with visible relief.But, by then, the damage was done.Kishan walked back to a standing ovation, his 77 off 40 balls having completely altered the trajectory of the innings. On a pitch where run accumulation felt like wading through sand, he had sprinted. In a match where margins are thin and conditions often dictate terms, this was an innings that stood apart. It was fearless without being reckless, aggressive without being careless. More than anything, it was a reminder that in the biggest games, the bravest batters do not wait for conditions to improve. They bend them to their will.

Usman Tariq of Pakistan (Getty Images)

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez believes the buzz surrounding spinner Usman Tariq could give his team a mental edge over India ahead of their T20 World Cup clash in Colombo on Sunday. Tariq’s unconventional bowling has sparked widespread debate, with some fans even questioning the legality of his action. Hafeez, however, framed this attention as a strategic benefit, claiming it has unsettled the Indian side. “From a cricketing perspective, the hype around Usman Tariq is already a psychological victory for us. Right now, no one is talking about Babar Azam or anyone else. The focus is entirely on Tariq. He’s played just one or two matches for Pakistan, yet imagine the panic he’s causing in the Indian camp. They are specifically practicing against him in their sessions,” Hafeez told Tapmad.

He added, “How often do you see this much discussion about a single player? The media, fans, and the world are thinking not just about the match result, but about what Usman Tariq might do tomorrow.” Hafeez praised Tariq’s temperament, insisting the 28-year-old has the ability to turn games on his own. He advised Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha to deploy Tariq aggressively, warning that defensive use would limit his impact. “I want to see how positively Salman Agha makes decisions and how he uses Usman Tariq. If he’s used defensively, nothing will work. You need an attacking mindset. Even the sixth over can be crucial, usually bowled by your most impactful player,” Hafeez explained. “Planning around Tariq is key. If he’s used in an attacking zone, he can be very effective. I’m not saying Abrar, Nawaz, or Shadab won’t matter, but right now, all eyes are on Usman Tariq,” he concluded.

Virat Kohli bats during the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan in Melbourne, Australia.

India and Pakistan have faced each other eight times in ICC T20 World Cup history. While the head-to-head record stands at 7-1 in India’s favour, the contests have often been close. From their two meetings in the 2007 edition, including the final, to the 2024 clash in New York, the rivalry has rarely followed a one-sided script.The pattern has continued in the 2020s. India have won two of the three T20 World Cup meetings this decade, with Pakistan winning once. Yet each match has been defined by decisive passages rather than clear dominance.

As India and Pakistan get ready for yet another encounter on Sunday, here’s a look at the matches between both sides in T20 World Cups in this decade:

2021, Group Stage, Dubai – Pakistan win by 10 wickets

After years of near misses, Pakistan broke through in a World Cup fixture. The 10-wicket win in Dubai was set up by Shaheen Shah Afridi, who removed India’s top order early. Six years after their previous T20 World Cup meeting, Pakistan responded firmly — 151 was not enough on a Dubai pitch where chasing was the preferred route.Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan completed the chase without losing a wicket, finishing the game with control and without appearing under pressure.For India, it marked their most disappointing ICC campaign since the 2007 ODI World Cup, and the loss to Pakistan defined that tournament.

2022, Group Stage, Melbourne – India win by 4 wickets

The 2022 contest in Melbourne produced a finish remembered for key moments. Pakistan scored 159, a total that did not appear beyond reach. However, India were reduced to 31/4 and were staring at consecutive defeats.Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya rebuilt the innings steadily, keeping the target within sight. When India needed 48 from the last three overs, the situation looked difficult. Then came the over from Haris Rauf. Kohli struck a straight six that changed the mood of the game, prompting Harsha Bhogle’s call: “Kohli goes down the ground, Kohli goes out of the ground.”The final over brought further twists — no-balls, wickets, run-outs and wides — before Ravichandran Ashwin lifted the winning run over cover to seal the result.

2024, Group Stage, New York – India win by 6 runs

In New York, the teams played a low-scoring contest that later proved important in India’s run to the title. By then, the venue had gained a reputation as a difficult ground for batting, making India’s 119 all out close to a competitive total.Defending the score required disciplined bowling, and Jasprit Bumrah delivered. He finished with 3/14 from four overs, including the wicket of Mohammad Rizwan with an off-cutter that moved sharply. As the final overs approached, India held their nerve to defend the total by six runs.The victory extended India’s record over Pakistan to 7-1 and came on their way to lifting their first ICC trophy in 11 years.