Pakistan Confirmed 'India Boycott' U-Turn, Yet Players Failed To Show Up
Pakistan's performance against India in the T20 World Cup Group A match made fans wonder if the team should've avoided a 'boycott' U-turn.
- Pakistan initially boycotted their T20 World Cup match against India, but reversed the decision
- Pakistan used a record six spinners in the match, an unprecedented tactic in T20 World Cup history
- India scored 175/7 before bowling out Pakistan for a score of 114 in Colombo
As the commencement of the T20 World Cup 2026 neared, the cricketing world saw itself gripped by a saga far removed from the boundaries of the ground. Pakistan had initially announced a sensational boycott of their fixture against India, citing solidarity with Bangladesh. It took intense intervention from the ICC and a series of high-level meetings in Lahore for the Pakistan government to perform an eleventh-hour U-turn, eventually directing the team to take the field in Colombo on 15 February. However, when the day finally arrived, fans were left wondering if the team had truly turned up at all. While the players were physically present at the R. Premadasa Stadium, their performance was a metaphorical "no-show" as India ruthlessly dismantled their arch-rivals in every department on Sunday.
On a slow, used surface in Colombo, Pakistan's strategy was clear: overwhelm India with spin. In a historic and tactical gamble, Pakistan deployed a 'record' six spinners, including Salman Ali Agha, Saim Ayub, and Usman Tariq. No team in a T20 World Cup match had ever used as many spin options before. Yet, the result was far from what Pakistan desired when the boycott U-turn was confirmed by their government.
Despite the hype surrounding the 'spin trap' Pakistan had planned to arrest India in, Suryakumar Yadav's batters refused to be shackled. Ishan Kishan led the charge at the top with a blistering 77 off 40 balls, despite Abhishek Sharma's duck, ensuring that the scoreboard kept ticking despite the aid the surface offered to spinners. Pakistan's bowlers, who should have been better accustomed to the Sri Lankan conditions after playing their previous matches there, failed to ask Indian batters the right questions. India eventually posted a highly challenging total of 175/7, a score that felt well above par for the conditions, which India later went on to exploit like experts.
Pakistan Surrendered With The Bat
The chase was expected to be a test of Pakistan's experience in the conditions, particularly given their familiarity with the pitches in the island nation. Instead, it was a display of technical frailty and a lack of application. The collapse began early and never truly stopped. The "stalwarts" of the lineup failed to provide any resistance:
Sahibzada Farhan fell for a duck in a wicket-maiden opening over from Hardik Pandya. Babar Azam was cleaned up by Axar Patel for just 5. Salman Agha and Shadab Khan failed to stabilise the innings, with the team eventually being bundled out for a mere 114 runs.
"Our spinners had an off day," admitted captain Salman Ali Agha after the match. "We did not apply ourselves with the bat."
Ultimately, the match served as a stark reminder that while political posturing and boycott threats can dominate headlines, they are no substitute for performance on the pitch. Pakistan's U-turn got them to the stadium, but they left their competitive spirit somewhere else.
India Cricket Team
Pakistan Cricket Team