The chase of 176 was always going to be steep, but Pakistan’s start has turned it into a nightmare. In a brutal display of fast bowling followed by spin precision, India has reduced Pakistan to a reeling 38/4 inside the first six overs at the R. Premadasa Stadium in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
Here is how the Powerplay catastrophe unfolded for the Men in Green.
The Pace Ambush
Hardik Pandya set the tone immediately. Taking the new ball, he delivered a Wicket Maiden in the very first over. He banged one short to remove Sahibzada Farhan for a duck, with Rinku Singh taking the catch. Pakistan was 0/1, and the panic set in instantly.
Then came Jasprit Bumrah.
The Indian pace spearhead tore through the top order in the second over. First, he trapped Saim Ayub (6) LBW with a review confirming three reds. Just three balls later, he induced a leading edge from Pakistan captain Salman Agha (4), which popped gently to Hardik at mid-on.
By the end of the second over, Pakistan was 13/3. The stadium was stunned.
Axar Removes the Anchor
With the top three gone, all hopes rested on Babar Azam to stabilise the ship. However, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav introduced spin early, and it paid dividends.
In the fifth over, Axar Patel produced a beauty. He flighted an arm ball that drifted in and skidded through, beating Babar’s drive completely to crash into the stumps. The former captain departed for just 5 runs, leaving the chase in tatters.
Usman Khan Fights Alone
Amidst the ruins, only Usman Khan has shown intent. He counter-attacked Hardik for a six and smashed Axar for back-to-back boundaries. He is currently unbeaten on 21 off 17 balls, but with Shadab Khan just arriving at the crease, they face an almost impossible task at the T20 World Cup 2026.
- Powerplay Score: Pakistan 38/4
- Key Wicket: Babar Azam (5) b Axar Patel
- To Win: 138 runs from 84 balls.
