Former Indian captain Kris Srikkanth has launched a scathing attack on Pakistan coach Mike Hesson after India’s massive 61-run win in their T20 World Cup 2026 group match in Colombo. It was the one-sided clash in Colombo, where India completely outplayed their rivals.
Pakistan had won the toss but decided to bowl first, and Srikkanth felt this decision cost them the match even before India’s fireworks ended in Colombo. The former Indian chief selector has pointed out that batting first and putting runs on the board on the pitch like Colombo was always the better option.
Kris Srikkanth slams Mike Hesson’s strategy against India
He said that Pakistan made life easy for India by inviting them to bat first. India’s former World Cup winner also questioned Mike Hesson’s strategy. He pointed out that even during his time with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL, they never won the cup. Srikkanth felt the situation is the same with Pakistan, who are now struggling badly in a crunch situation.
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Kris Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel ‘Cheeky Cheeka’: “It was a golden opportunity after winning the toss, but they chose to bowl first. Mike Hesson as a coach was there at RCB for a long time and did not do anything there as well. Everyone knows that on a wicket like this, if you bat first and score 160-170, you can win the game. They gave us the game on a plate, saying, “Take this, India. Thank you very much.”
Ishan Kishan’s explosive knock changes game
India posted a strong total of 175 for 7 on the board in their 20 overs after being sent in to bat. The star of the night was Ishan Kishan, who smashed 77 runs off just 40 balls. His innings included 10 fours and 3 sixes, and runs came at a remarkable strike rate of 200.
The former Indian chief selector noted that Ishan’s knock put Pakistan under huge pressure. Then there was one over where he attacked Shadab Khan and scored many runs. After that, the match almost finished because India had full control.
He praised Ishan for playing smart cricket and said his journey has been impressive. Just four months ago, Ishan was not even close to the Indian team. But after scoring runs in domestic cricket, he got another chance. He came in as a replacement for players like Shubman Gill and Sanju Samson. Now, he is batting with great consistency and proving himself in big matches.
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Hats off to this boy: Srikkanth on Ishan
Srikkanth said, “The difference in this game was just five overs: when Ishan scored 38 runs in three overs and then the one over where he hit Shadab Khan, the match was done there.” He hailed Isha for playing “very intelligent cricket,” saying, “Hats off to this boy.” He also lauded his journey, where he made a stunning comeback in the national side after domestic cricket heroics.
Srikkanth slams Salman Ali Agha’s captaincy against India
He added that if Pakistan had batted first and scored around 150 or 160, they could have at least made the contest interesting. The former India captain even questioned the overall quality of Pakistan’s batting and bowling, saying the team looked weak in all departments.
Srikkanth signed off by saying, “Even a kid will tell you that you should have batted first after winning the toss on this wicket. You have been playing here; you know the boundaries. It was ridiculous captaincy. There is something wrong with their entire system. If you come or do not come, it is the same. USA has got a better batting lineup.”
