In one of the most high-pressure encounters of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, India's wicketkeeper-opener Ishan Kishan delivered a knock for the ages.
On a challenging pitch at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Kishan smashed 77 runs off just 40 balls against arch-rivals Pakistan, turning the game on its head after an early setback. This was his first-ever T20I appearance against Pakistan, and he made it count spectacularly.
Early Crisis and Instant Counter-Attack by Ishan Kishan
The stage was set for a classic India-Pakistan clash, but the start wasn't ideal for the Men in Blue. After Pakistan captain Salman Agha won the toss and elected to bowl first, India lost the world's No. 1-ranked T20I batter Abhishek Sharma for his second duck of the tournament in the very first over.
Most batters would have gone into a shell. Ishan Kishan did the opposite. Facing the first ball from Shaheen Shah Afridi, he rocked back and deposited it over forward square leg for a massive six. It was a statement of intent that reverberated through the stadium.
By the end of the powerplay, Kishan had raced to 42 off just 25 balls—the highest individual Powerplay score by an Indian in an India-Pakistan T20I, surpassing Shubman Gill's previous mark of 35 set during the Asia Cup 2025.
Decimating Pakistan's Spin-Heavy Strategy
What made Kishan's innings truly special was the
conditions and the opposition's tactics. The Colombo surface was tacky, with
the ball gripping and turning. Pakistan recognized this and employed an
aggressive spin strategy, bowling five
overs of spin inside the Powerplay—only the 13th instance in T20 World
Cup history where a fifth over of spin was bowled in that phase-1.
Kishan was unfazed. He took on Salman Agha's offies, Abrar Ahmed's variations, Shadab Khan's leg-spin, and Saim Ayub's part-time spin with equal disdain-6.
His ability to switch between
back-foot punches and front-foot drives kept the bowlers guessing. Netizens
later joked that Pakistan had "prepared for Abhishek, but Ishan Kishan
came out of the syllabus. -4.
The 27-Ball Fifty and Records Tumbled
Kishan reached his half-century in just 27 balls—the third-fastest fifty in India-Pakistan T20I history. Only Mohammad Hafeez (23 balls) and Abhishek Sharma (24 balls) have scored faster fifties in this rivalry. He got there with a boundary off Abrar Ahmed in the seventh over, his second consecutive fifty of the tournament after a 61-run blitz against Namibia.
At the time of his dismissal, Kishan had scored 85% of the team's runs, with India at 88 for 2 in 8.4
overs—approximately 20
runs above par for
those challenging conditions-1-6. His 77-run knock is now the third-highest individual score by an Indian against
Pakistan in T20Is,
behind only Virat Kohli's iconic 82 not out (Melbourne 2022) and 78 not out
(Colombo 2012)-7.
What This Inning Means for Ishan Kishan
This knock was more than just runs. Just over a year ago, Kishan was out of the Indian T20I setup after being dropped from the BCCI central contract in early 2024.
He spent time away from the game,
working on his fitness and mindset.
His comeback story is remarkable. He emerged as the highest run-scorer in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, leading Jharkhand to the title.
Last month, he scored his maiden T20I century against New Zealand-3.
In three World Cup games, he now has 158 runs at an average of 52.66 and a strike rate of 197.50
Former India batter Aakash Chopra summed it up perfectly,
saying Kishan was "playing like a million dollars" and that his form
was crucial for India to walk into the Pakistan clash with authority.
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Source of Information
This
article is compiled from multiple authoritative sports publications covering
the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026:
