Colombo, Feb 15 Ishan Kishan combined brute power with exquisite finesse in a stunning half-century before Jasprit Bumrah dominated Pakistan's top order with precision, helping India secure a commanding 61-run victory and a spot in the Super Eight in the T20 World Cup here on Sunday.
Kishan's blistering 77 (40 balls) on a tricky Premadasa pitch was worth its weight in gold, helping India post a competitive 175/7 after they were put in to bat. It was arguably one of the most entertaining T20I innings by an Indian batsman, considering the difficulty.
Pakistan needed a strong Power Play to chase 176. However, Bumrah (2/17) and Hardik Pandya (2/16) dismissed Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, and Salman Ali Agha, effectively ending the match. India now lead 8-1 in all T20 World Cup matches.
Pandya started the game with a six off Farhan, which went straight to Rinku Singh.
Bumrah then bowled a brilliant first over, getting Ayub out with an inswinging yorker.
Agha was clueless against Bumrah's length delivery, scooping it to Pandya at mid-wicket.
Pakistan was in trouble at 13/3, which quickly became 34/4 after Babar Azam's slog sweep off Axar Patel went straight to the stumps.
Pakistan's Powerplay produced 38/4, compared to India's 52/1, and this difference continued to grow as the match progressed.
Pakistan struggled to cope with the Indian spinners, with Kuldeep Yadav, Axar, Tilak Varma, and Varun Chakravarthy keeping them under pressure.
Earlier, Kishan shared an 87-run partnership with Tilak for the second wicket, with Tilak contributing 11 runs.
The match started unusually as Pakistan captain Agha brought himself into the attack and dismissed Abhishek Sharma.
Agha continued his spell in the Power Play, getting Ayub out for 3/25.
Abhishek went for a loft off Agha but could not clear Shaheen Shah Afridi in the final ball of the first over.
For the next 7.4 overs, Kishan dominated the Premadasa pitch, hitting shots all around the stadium.
Kishan started with a powerful pull off Afridi that went past mid-wicket.
Soon, Kishan dismantled the Pakistani spinners.
Agha and Ayub were dismissed for fours each, while leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed was hit for six and four.
The four was a spectacular shot. Despite the slow pitch, Kishan used his wrists to cut the ball to the third man fence.
Later, leg-spinner Shadab Khan was also hit for a six, helping Kishan reach his fifty in just 27 balls.
Tilak struggled, but Kishan continued to pace the innings.
Kishan's attempt to hit Ayub over mid-wicket resulted in a catch.
They then clawed back, with Ayub getting Tilak and Hardik Pandya out in consecutive overs.
This reduced India to 126/4 from 126/2 in the 15th over.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav (32, 28 balls) and Shivam Dube (27, 17 balls) added 33 runs to take India past 150.
Dube also handled mystery spinner Usman Tariq, who was kept back till the 11th over, stealing two boundaries.
Tariq also dismissed Suryakumar in the 19th over.
A 15-run final over by Afridi, with Dube and Rinku Singh, pushed India past 170.
