Colombo: Pakistan captain Salman Agha refused to point fingers at individuals after his side’s crushing 61-run defeat to India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Group A encounter at R Premadasa Stadium, instead highlighting collective shortcomings in execution that turned the high-stakes rivalry clash into a one-sided affair.
Pakistan, who won the toss and elected to bowl, watched India post 175/7, powered by Ishan Kishan’s explosive 77. In reply, the Men in Green collapsed to 114 all out in 18 overs, with early powerplay wickets proving fatal — losing four for just 38 runs.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Agha admitted his spinners, trusted after strong recent performances, had an off day. “Our spinners were off today. There was a lack of execution in some parts. We have full trust in our spinners because they have performed brilliantly over the last six months,” he said.
On the batting collapse, he pinpointed the turning point: “We lost too many wickets in the powerplay, which proved to be the turning point.” He noted pitch conditions played a role too. “In the first innings, the pitch was a bit tacky, and the ball was gripping well… But in the second innings, the pitch was playing better than before.”
Despite the heavy loss, Agha urged his team to stay composed amid heightened emotions typical of India-Pakistan clashes. “Emotions are always high in such big matches, but the team has to deal with it. We have played many such matches,” he remarked. Looking ahead, he stressed the importance of the next fixture: “Now, there is another match in two days; we have to look towards that. It is important to win that match and qualify for the Super 8s. Thereafter, the tournament will start anew.”
Pakistan’s Super 8 hopes are now in jeopardy due to the defeat, and they must perform well in their remaining group game to maintain their position in the tournament.