A Tale of Unfulfilled Expectations
In the world of cricket, Pakistan's recent journey has been a rollercoaster of emotions. After the dramatic boycott and its subsequent reversal, a sense of optimism swept through the nation, fueled by a perceived moral victory in the ICC's corridors of power. Many hoped that this newfound confidence would translate onto the cricket pitch, but unfortunately, it didn't pan out as expected.
For Pakistani fans, optimism can be a double-edged sword. Beyond the post-boycott buzz, there were legitimate cricketing reasons to feel hopeful. However, the team's performance in a recent match against India left much to be desired.
The silver lining for Pakistan is that this defeat shouldn't hinder their qualification for the next stage of the tournament. In recent months, they've shown signs of adapting to modern T20 cricket, rediscovering the art of spin bowling and the joy of aggressive batting. Under the guidance of Mike Hesson, a new team and game formula has emerged, giving Pakistan a platform for a brighter cricketing future.
Despite these positive developments, Pakistan's performance against India was a stark reminder of the work that still needs to be done. India ruthlessly exposed Pakistan's vulnerabilities, extending their winning streak to an astonishing 11 consecutive World T20 matches. This raises an important question for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB): What steps are being taken to address this dominance in the shortest format of the game?
Salman Ali Agha's team learned a valuable lesson: you must walk before you can run. While Pakistan has shown they can walk, attempting to sprint too soon can be counterproductive. In Colombo, their execution of the game plan was lacking, and the plan itself had flaws. The bowling strategy failed to apply early pressure, and the batting approach resulted in a disastrous first power play.
The only aspect of Pakistan's game that stood up to scrutiny was their fielding. India's target seemed daunting, and Pakistan's start was disastrous. Being positive is one thing, but Pakistan's approach was reckless, especially considering the loss of wickets.
Saim Ayub fell victim to a brilliant delivery from Jaspreet Bumrah, but the rest of the top order batted as if they were playing street cricket in Lahore, not an ICC event against India. It was a baffling and careless display.
What made matters worse was that India's fielding, while competent, wasn't exceptional enough to justify a 61-run victory. The parade of irresponsible batting was led by Salman Agha and Babar Azam, Pakistan's senior top-order batsmen. When Pakistan needed at least one of them to anchor the innings, neither showed the mental fortitude required. The easy option was to swing hard and get out.
Some resistance came from Usman Khan, but the pressure of early wickets and the impact on the run rate was too much. Usman's rally, while decent, fell short of the extraordinary effort needed.
All eyes were on the toss, hoping for a reset in the rivalry. Would the captains shake hands, as is the customary etiquette in cricket? They did not. Normal tensions resumed, with Salman and Suryakumar barely acknowledging each other.
The decision to bowl first seemed defensive, and Pakistan's performance suggested they were overwhelmed by the occasion once again.
Suryakumar was content to bat first, and Salman's decision to bowl the first over himself seemed like a good move on a turning track, resulting in the wicket of Abhishek Sharma. However, any genuine hopes were short-lived, lasting just one over. From that point on, Pakistan's plan and composure unraveled.
The brilliance of Ishan Kishan played a significant role in India's dominance. The small opener stood firm, rooted to the crease and striking powerfully. When he advanced down the wicket to the spinners, he did so decisively.
For the first half of the match, it was Kishan versus Pakistan, and Kishan emerged victorious. On a day of mediocre batting, he stood out as a class act. Pakistan's bowlers didn't help their cause, with Shaheen Shah Afridi and Abrar Ahmed, the spearheads of the attack, performing poorly. Shadab Khan was also off his game.
They bowled as if going through the motions, failing to adjust to Kishan's dominance. When a batter is on a rampage, the captain's job is to get them off strike. However, Pakistan got stuck in a groove of unnecessary variations.
The general problem was that, having opted for spin bowling, Pakistan didn't utilize it effectively. The pitch was taking turn off a length, and when Pakistan chose to exploit this with more classical spin bowling, it paid off. Usman Tariq kept this in mind, bowling a variety of deliveries that had an impact.
Saim Ayub stuck to the disciplines best, claiming the wickets of Kishan and Hardik Pandya in quick succession. Pakistan's impact player was on a hat trick, and the game seemed within reach.
The hat-trick ball from Saim was arguably the ball of the innings, but Shivam Dube managed to avoid being bowled, caught, or stumped.
Pakistan's spinners pulled the game back, reducing the run rate from 9 an over to a more manageable 6-7 an over. However, Afridi's final over was disastrous, allowing India to reach a formidable total of 175.
For Pakistani fans, the main takeaway from Sunday's match is relief that their team is still in the tournament. However, there's no denying that Pakistan has a lot to learn if they want to challenge the stronger cricketing nations. Despite not pleasing their fans with their performance in Colombo, Pakistan did honor their commitment to the tournament, which is a positive step for the sport's governing bodies.
Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2026
