All talk and no action! India humble Pakistan to qualify for Super Eight

COLOMBO: The threat of a boycott, and the heroics of having great spinners, ended up as nothing as India entered the Super Eights with a huge 61-run win over Pakistan in the Twenty20 World Cup. Chasing a target of 176 runs set by India, Pakistan were dismissed for 114 runs in 18 overs. Ishan Kishan, who scored a brilliant half-century on a difficult pitch, was the architect of India's victory.

Pakistan had a miserable start. They could not score a single run in the first over, bowled by Hardik Pandya. Opener Sahibzada Farhan also lost his wicket for 0(4). In the second over, Bumrah also dismissed Sayeem Ayub for 6(2) and captain Salman Ali Agha for 4(4) to put Pakistan at 13 for three. In the fifth over, former captain Babar Azam was clean bowled for 5(7) off Axar Patel.

Wicketkeeper Usman Khan, who came to the crease in the fifth position, managed 44 (34) for Pakistan.

Batting first, India scored 175 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs. Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan's 77 (40) rose up to the moment. Despite losing Abhishek Sharma for a duck, Ishan Kishan continued the counterattack from the other end. The ‘pocket dynamo’ scored 77 runs from 40 balls with ten fours and three sixes.