India opener Ishan Kishan maintained his blistering form in T20 Internationals on Sunday, delivering a match-defining half-century against Pakistan in Colombo. The left-handed batsman showcased his class at the R Premadasa Stadium during the high-stakes IND vs PAK encounter in the T20 World Cup 2026.
This marked Kishan’s second fifty of the tournament, arriving precisely when the Men in Blue required momentum in their campaign. Despite the early dismissal of Abhishek Sharma for a duck, Kishan remained unfazed and stuck to his aggressive game plan.
With the R Premadasa Stadium’s large boundaries presenting a challenge, India needed a strong foundation and intelligent batting to maximize scoring opportunities. Kishan rose to the occasion, much to the joy of Indian cricket supporters watching worldwide.
The wicketkeeper-batsman announced his arrival by launching the first delivery he faced from Shaheen Afridi for a six. While Tilak Varma adopted the anchor role at the other end, Kishan shouldered the responsibility of being the primary aggressor. He executed his mandate flawlessly, particularly targeting Pakistan’s spin bowling attack.
Kishan’s dominance during the powerplay was remarkable, as he accumulated 42 runs while India posted 52 in the first six overs. His 42-run contribution during the powerplay established a new record for the most runs scored by any batsman in the powerplay phase of India-Pakistan T20I matches, surpassing Shubman Gill’s 35 runs achieved in Dubai during the Asia Cup 2025.
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