India’s dominance in the classic rivalry was emphatic on Sunday as captain Suryakumar Yadav set a professional tone before and during the Group A clash, telling his side to avoid sledging and let their cricket do the talking. Suryakumar Yadav was seen in a BCCI-released clip calmly instructing teammates to focus on skill over banter — a message that resonated as India produced a clinical 61-run win at the R. Premadasa Stadium. R Premadasa Stadium
In the video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, BCCI, Suryakumar’s instructions were clear: “Keep running between the overs. Don’t say anything to anyone — we have to play good cricket. We will win this game through good skill.”
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The skipper’s approach set the tone for a composed performance across batting and bowling, with no on-field verbal exchanges distracting either side. On a slow, testing surface, India posted 175/7 after a fluent 77 from Ishan Kishan — an innings that combined timing with intent and set up a defendable total.
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Pakistan’s chase never gained momentum; disciplined spells from India’s bowling unit strangled any partnership attempts and trimmed the chase down to 114 all out. Key bowlers Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel each played match-defining roles.
Jasprit Bumrah provided crucial early strikes, while Hardik Pandya and Varun Chakravarthy applied relentless pressure through the middle overs. Axar Patel tightened the screws with tidy, wicket-taking spells.
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The encounter unfolded without the off-field drama that had threatened the fixture in the build-up; despite reported pre-tournament tensions involving Pakistan, the on-field contest remained focused and professional. Pakistan were competitive at times, but India’s blend of tactical discipline and execution turned a high-profile rivalry into a one-sided statement, securing progression to the Super 8 and reinforcing their credentials as tournament favourites.
