India secured a dominating 61-run win over Pakistan in their T20 World Cup 2026 match. Former Pakistan bowler Shoaib Akhtar expressed strong criticism of his team’s performance, stating that the Indian squad, led by Suryakumar Yadav, is well-prepared to defend their title.
Akhtar was frank about Pakistan’s weak showing, noting that India’s record in ICC Men’s T20 World Cup matches now stands at 8-1 against them. “We were outplayed,” he said. “Shaheen’s bowling speed was just 125 km/h, which is inadequate for today’s game. It’s unfortunate that while we used to compete against India, we now struggle to envision beating them.”
He also criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board, claiming, “The new chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, lacks the necessary knowledge. How can you expect improvement? The management has made a star out of a player incapable of winning matches (Babar Azam). The real issue is employing unqualified individuals.”
In the match, Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl first. India set a challenging total of 175/7, featuring a standout innings from Ishan Kishan (77 off 40). Suryakumar Yadav (32 off 29) and Shivam Dube (27 off 17) provided crucial support.
Pakistan’s Saim Ayub (3/25) was the most effective bowler, with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Tariq, and Salman Ali Agha each taking one wicket.
Pakistan’s innings began poorly, with Sahibzada Farhan out for a duck off Hardik Pandya in just four balls. Jasprit Bumrah then removed Saim Ayub (6) and captain Salman Ali Agha (4), leaving Pakistan in a tough spot at 13/3.
Babar Azam struggled to put runs on the board, and while Usman Khan hit a couple of boundaries, Axar Patel dismissed Babar for five, pushing Pakistan further down to 34/4.
By the halfway mark, Pakistan was at 71/4, attempting to stabilize with Usman and Shadab. However, Axar Patel broke their partnership, with Kishan executing a fine stumping to send Usman back for 44 runs.
The batting collapse continued, with Mohammad Nawaz (4) falling to Kuldeep Yadav and Shadab (14) dismissed by Tilak Varma, caught by Dube.
Rinku Singh’s catch gave Varun Chakravarthy his first wicket, removing Faheem Ashraf for 10. Just one ball later, Abrar Ahmed was out lbw without scoring, putting Pakistan at 97/8.
Hardik Pandya wrapped up the innings by taking out Usman Tariq, ending Pakistan’s run at 114 in 18 overs.
Axar Patel (2/29) led India’s bowling attack, supported by Pandya (2/16), Bumrah (2/17), and Chakravarthy (2/17).
