Former India head coach Ravi Shastri praised wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan for his brilliant performance against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2026 group-stage match at Colombo on Sunday. Opening the innings, Ishan scored a superb 77 off just 40 balls in difficult batting conditions, while most of the other Indian batters struggled to score.
He had to step up early after Abhishek Sharma was out for a duck in the first over. Despite the early setback, the left-hander stayed calm and played attacking shots against bowlers like Shaheen Afridi and Salman Ali Agha to keep India’s momentum going.
Pakistan used six spinners on a pitch that helped slow bowlers, which made scoring tough for players like Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma. But Ishan Kishan played with freedom, especially during the powerplay, and made the most of the fielding restrictions. He scored most of his runs in boundaries, hitting 10 fours and three sixes in an impressive knock.
“He’s batting like a dream at the moment. Striking on that track (Colombo pitch) at close to 200 is unreal. Every batter didn’t find it easy, whether it was Indian or Pakistani, because the ball was stopping and for him to strike the way he did, and what I liked was how quickly he assessed the conditions,” Ravi Shastri told the ICC.
“Needs a Bit More Time” – Ravi Shastri’s Advice to Abhishek After Duck vs PAK
Abhishek Sharma returned to India’s playing XI for the big match against Pakistan, but he couldn’t make an impact. He had to face off-spinner Salman Ali Agha with the new ball and struggled to score freely. While trying to attack, he ended up hitting the ball straight to the fielder at mid-on and was dismissed.
The top-ranked T20I batter had missed the earlier 93-run win over Namibia due to a stomach infection. However, he is still yet to score a run in this tournament. He was also out for a duck against the USA, which means he has failed to score in four of his last six innings.
“I think he’s due, but he just has to give himself a little bit of time. Such things happen and you can go off the boil, but he’s just got to give himself a little more time until he gets back on track. Because for him to convert those dot balls later on into boundaries and sixes, is not difficult,” Ravi Shastri said.
India have already qualified for the Super 8 stage and will play their final group match against the Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, February 18.
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