Bold start: The India-Pakistan showdown in Colombo isn’t just another group stage game—it could decide who tops Group A and whose World Cup run gains momentum. But here’s where it gets controversial: the lineup shake-up and the road to glory aren’t as straightforward as they look. Read on to understand what’s at stake, what’s changing, and why this match matters beyond the score.
The 27th match of the ICC T20 World Cup is India vs Pakistan, taking place at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. A win could shake up the group standings and set the tone for the rest of the campaign. India is poised to rotate the squad, with two potential changes expected: Kuldeep Yadav and Abhishek Sharma could return, while Arshdeep Singh and Sanju Samson might be left out. For the latest ball-by-ball updates and live score, keep refreshing this page.
Possible India XI: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill? [Note: The original text lists Shubman Gill incorrectly as Shrubman; to avoid confusion, we’ll keep to names that were indicated: Shard, Shivam?], Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarty, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh/Kuldeep Yadav.
Live-ball coverage link: T20 World Cup India vs Pakistan: ball-by-ball updates and live score.
Possible Pakistan XI: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha (captain), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Fahim Ashraf, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Tariq, Abrar Ahmed.
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What both teams have done so far
Both sides have been undefeated entering this clash. India started by beating the USA by 29 runs, then routed Namibia by 93 runs. With four points and a net run rate of +3.050, India sits atop the table.
Pakistan’s path has been impressive too: a thrilling win over the Netherlands, followed by a big win against the USA, placing them second with a net run rate of +0.932.
Head-to-head in T20Is
- Total matches: 16
- India: 13 (including 1 no-result due to ball-out rules)
- Pakistan: 3
- Ties: 1 (India won via ball-out)
- No result: 0
T20 World Cup head-to-head
- Total matches: 8
- India: 7 (including 1 no-result via ball-out)
- Pakistan: 1
- Ties: 1 (India won via ball-out)
- No result: 0
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