Ishan Kishan was like a man possessed in the India vs Pakistan match in the T20 World Cup 2026. After Abhishek Sharma departed for a 4-ball duck in Colombo, Kishan took it upon himself to destroy Pakistan spinners. And boy, did he succeed.
Ishan Kishan’s day out in Colombo
On a surface that Pakistan’s captain Salman Ali Agha described as ‘tacky’, Kishan handled the spinners beautifully. The ball was spinning and even sticking a bit. After watching Abhishek fail to time the ball, the wicketkeeper knew just what he needed to do.
After a little slice of luck against Shaheen Shah Afridi, Kishan never looked out of control. He used his feet against off-spinners Agha and Saim Ayub to ensure they don’t continue bowling at the same length. If either erred in line, he smashed the ball out of the park.
Kishan took a particular liking to Abrar Ahmed, smashing 24 runs off the 11 deliveries he faced. This included 1 six and 4 fours. He reached his fifty in just 27 balls, registering the third fastest fifty in India vs Pakistan matches in T20I cricket. He took a heavy toll of Shadab Khan’s down-the-leg bowling, smashing 16 off 5.
Fastest fifty in IND vs PAK T20Is
- 23 balls – Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmedabad 2012
- 24 balls – Abhishek Sharma Dubai 2025
- 27 balls – Ishan Kishan, Colombo 2026 *
- 29 balls – Yuvraj Singh, Ahmedabad 2012
He looked well on his way to scoring the first-ever hundred in India vs Pakistan matches. But in the 9th over, Ayub got him. With a spinning short ball, he rattled Kishan’s stumps. But it was a knock worthy of applause.
On a pitch where both Abhishek and Tilak Varma weren’t in full flow, Kishan thrived. In the process, he went past head coach Gautam Gambhir’s score of 75, which was the fourth-highest individual score in India vs Pakistan games.
Highest individual scores in IND vs PAK T20Is
| Batter | Runs | Balls | Strike Rate | Team | Venue | Match Date |
| Virat Kohli | 82* | 53 | 154.71 | India | Melbourne | 23 Oct 2022 |
| Mohammad Rizwan | 79* | 55 | 143.63 | Pakistan | Dubai (DICS) | 24 Oct 2021 |
| Virat Kohli | 78* | 61 | 127.86 | India | Colombo (RPS) | 30 Sep 2012 |
| Ishan Kishan | 77 | 40 | 192.50 | India | Colombo (RPS) | 15 Feb 2026 |
| Gautam Gambhir | 75 | 54 | 138.88 | India | Johannesburg | 24 Sep 2007 |
| Abhishek Sharma | 74 | 39 | 189.74 | India | Dubai (DICS) | 21 Sep 2025 |
Cricket
Ishan Kishan smashes 3rd fastest fifty in IND vs PAK T20Is, goes past Gautam Gambhir in elite list
