Pakistan players hurting after India drubbing, says Hesson
COLOMBO: Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson acknowledged the dressing room was deeply disappointed after India crushed them by 61 runs in Colombo on Sunday.
The defending champions India posted a challenging 175-7 after being asked to bat on a tacky pitch at the R. Premadasa stadium, then routed Pakistan for 114. Hesson, speaking after his fourth consecutive defeat to India in a row, described a dour mood in the locker room and emphasized how much the match means for Pakistan.
“The dressing room is pretty disappointed right now because they know how much this rivalry matters for Pakistan,” Hesson said. “We came here riding five wins on the bounce and felt confident, but today we were outplayed.”
India’s innings featured Ishan Kishan’s sparkling 77, which helped the side recover from an early setback when Abhishek Sharma was dismissed in the first over. Suryakumar Yadav (32) and Shivam Dube (27) then pushed the total forward.
Pakistan faltered early, with Jasprit Bumrah removing Saim Ayub (6) and captain Babar Salman Agha (4) in the second over to leave them 13-3. Usman Khan top-scored with 44, but Pakistan were all out in 18 overs, their 114 total representing the third-lowest score Pakistan has posted against India in all T20s.
Hesson defended his call to bowl first at a venue where three prior matches had been won by the team batting second, noting early spin on the ball. “The ball seemed to be turning a lot at the start, and while we started well, Kishan’s innings took the game away from us.” India’s third consecutive win propelled them to the Super Eights, while Pakistan now face a must-win scenario against Namibia on Wednesday.
The defeat also widened Pakistan’s World Cup win-loss record against India to 1-8, with all eight meetings in the ODI World Cup going India’s way.
“We have to pick ourselves up and recover in two or three days,” Hesson said. “We’ve played good cricket in the lead-up to this World Cup, and we’re confident we can still perform well in the tournament.”
PATEL LAUDS KISHAN
Meanwhile, India’s vice-captain Axar Patel praised Kishan’s performance on a turning pitch, calling it “one of the great knocks.” Kishan hit 10 fours and three sixes in his 40-ball innings.
“The way he batted was sensational,” Patel told reporters. “The ball was turning and some shots were skimming under the lights. It was a tough challenge.”
With this convincing win, India advance to the second round with one game left in the group stage.
Kishan, who returned to the side after a more than two-year absence, has already notched two half-centuries in three World Cup matches. He earlier announced his return with a century against New Zealand in a recent T20 International, signaling his strong domestic form translating onto the world stage.
“His domestic form was outstanding and he carried that into the New Zealand series and now this World Cup run,” Patel said. “He’s gained confidence, and his versatility is evident—the ability to score all around the ground.”
Source: Dawn, February 17, 2026
