Jasprit Bumrah vs Sahibzada Farhan, Ishan Kishan vs Shaheen Afridi and other key matchups that will decide India vs Pakistan
T20 World Cup 2026: While Pakistan’s openers hold the key for them in batting, their middle-order still tends to play old-fashioned cricket and India will bank on their X-factor bowlers to apply the pressure.
The India vs Pakistan clash in Colombo on Sunday has a few match-ups which could potentially decide which way the game heads. Here is a look at the key contests:
In three innings against Bumrah, Farhan has scored 51 runs at a strike rate of 150, which includes six boundaries and three sixes. Being the in-form Pakistan batsman, a lot rides on Farhan’s shoulders to provide the rapid start before the middle-order takes over. Having made his intentions clear about taking on the opponent’s best bowler, he has walked the talk against Bumrah. If the pacer takes the new ball, his primary job will be to keep Farhan under check and get off the mark against the opener.
Abrar Ahmed vs Abhishek Sharma
India’s ace left-handed opener is known to give the kind of starts that can win games inside the powerplay. Opponents, however, have not challenged him by bringing the spinners early on. But Pakistan could change that as they have shown so far in two matches, where spinners are frequently used early on. Abrar’s mystery spin will be a perfect card for Pakistan to throw against Abhishek and possibly make a few early inroads.
Varun Chakaravarthy vs middle-order
While Pakistan’s openers hold the key for them in batting, their middle-order still tends to play old-fashioned cricket. The onus will be on Varun to ensure a choke in the middle-overs and pile the pressure through dot balls. Though they have six-hitters at the top, in the middle-order, Pakistan still lack the firepower and given the form he is in, Varun can break their back in the middle-overs.
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Suryakumar Yadav vs spinners
At Premadasa, where the outfield is huge, India’s scoring pockets will be vastly different from where they usually target. To disrupt the spinners, what batsmen have done on this surface in the three matches here is to use the sweeps to good use. In this regard, Suryakumar holds key for India, as being a right-hander, he can neutralise three of their spinners, who all bring the ball in. If he does that, it will also take the pressure away from the left-handed batsmen in the team.
Ishan Kishan vs Shaheen Shah Afridi
The opener’s preference to attack fast bowlers is well established and he has a chance to put pressure on Pakistan straightaway if he can neutralise the threat of Afridi. The tall pacer’s length usually tends to be in Ishan’s swinging arc, and even if he lands a couple of blows, then Pakistan will be forced to shuffle their bowling options, which could again work to India’s advantage.