IND vs PAK: India found themselves under early pressure in the high-voltage clash against Pakistan in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, but Ishan Kishan turned
the tide with a scintillating half-century at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
The setback came almost immediately. Pakistan's move to open the bowling with captain Salman Agha paid off as he dismissed Abhishek Sharma for a duck in the very first over. It marked Abhishek's fourth zero in his last six T20Is, giving Pakistan the perfect start in a must-win encounter.
However, Kishan responded in emphatic fashion. From the moment Shaheen Shah Afridi pitched one short in the second over, Kishan looked in command. He rocked back and pulled the left-arm quick for a towering six, setting the tone for what followed. Even when edges flew past the slips, Kishan ensured the scoreboard kept moving.
He didn't allow the early wicket to dictate terms. Against Afridi's pace, he mixed aggression with calculated risks, helping India collect 15 runs in one over. When Pakistan introduced spin, Kishan shifted gears seamlessly. He swept and cut with authority against Abrar Ahmed and used his feet cleverly against Saim Ayub, targeting anything fractionally short.
Kishan brought up his fifty in just 27 balls, punching a floated delivery straight back over the bowler's head for four. The Indian dugout rose in applause as he reached the milestone, underlining the importance of the innings. On a slightly tacky surface where the ball was gripping, his positive intent stood out.
By the end of the powerplay, India had surged to 52/1, with Kishan contributing 42 of those runs - the highest individual powerplay score in India-Pakistan T20Is, surpassing the previous mark of 35. His assault ensured that Pakistan's early breakthrough did not translate into sustained pressure.
Partnering with Tilak Varma, Kishan kept the momentum alive, rotating strike smartly while punishing loose deliveries. His innings was a blend of fearless strokeplay and situational awareness - exactly what India required after losing an in-form opener early.
But Kishan's innings came to a close in the 9th over. He ended on 77 off 40 balls. At the time of writing the article, India were batting at 89/2 after 9 overs of play.
