IND vs PAK T20 World Cup 2026 Live: Abhishek Sharma out for a duck as India slip to 1/1 in the first over at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. Get live score, playing XIs, pitch report, key battles, and match updates.
Colombo, Sri Lanka – The biggest rivalry in cricket has started with high drama. India is playing Pakistan in Match 27 of Group A at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the R. Premadasa Stadium. Pakistan chose to bowl first and got an early success. Opener Abhishek Sharma was out for a golden duck, and India is 1/1 after the first over.
India, the defending champions, have not lost a match in this tournament so far. But now they face a tough challenge on a pitch that helps spinners, with cloudy weather overhead.
The match started at 7:00 PM IST on February 15, 2026. The stakes are high. India wants a third straight win to strengthen their semi-final chances. Pakistan, after losing two matches, must win to stay in the tournament.
Toss and Playing XIs: Pakistan Bowl First
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and chose to field first. He said the pitch looked a bit sticky and could help spinners early. He also mentioned that dew later in the evening might make batting easier in the second innings.
There was no handshake between Agha and India captain Suryakumar Yadav, a practice that has continued since the 2023 Asia Cup due to ongoing tensions.
India made two changes:
- Abhishek Sharma returned after missing the Namibia match because of stomach illness.
- Kuldeep Yadav replaced Arshdeep Singh to strengthen the spin attack.
Pakistan kept the same team.
India Playing XI: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.
Pakistan Playing XI: Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Agha (c), Babar Azam, Usman Khan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Abbas Afridi, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah.
Live Score Update: Early Wicket for Pakistan
India’s innings started badly.
Over 1 – Salman Agha (0/1):
Salman Agha opened the bowling with off-spin. On the fourth ball, Abhishek Sharma tried to cut the ball but edged it to short cover. Shaheen Shah Afridi took a sharp catch. Sharma was out for 0 (4 balls).
Ishan Kishan had taken a single earlier, which was India’s first run.
Score after 1 over: India 1/1
Ishan Kishan 1* (2 balls)
Next batter: Tilak Varma
Run rate: 1.00
There has been no rain so far, even though the forecast showed a 63% chance. The pitch is already turning, which supports Pakistan’s decision to bowl first.
Abhishek Sharma’s Tough Tournament
Abhishek Sharma’s T20 World Cup journey has been difficult. He scored a duck against USA in his debut match. He then missed the Namibia game due to illness. He was declared fit just before the toss today, but once again he was out for zero.
This is his second duck in three matches in this T20 World Cup. Now, more responsibility is on Ishan Kishan, who scored an unbeaten 82 against Namibia.
India’s powerplay strike rate in this tournament has been a strong 182. But this early wicket has slowed them down. Experts say Sharma played the wrong shot on a pitch that is expected to help spinners.
Pakistan’s fielding was sharp. Shaheen’s quick catch showed their strong intent.
Pitch and Weather Report
The R. Premadasa Stadium pitch usually gives balanced results.
- Average first innings score: 158
- Matches won batting first: 14
- Matches won chasing: 13
- 60% of wickets taken by spinners
The ground has short square boundaries (65 meters), which can help batters. However, dew later in the match can make bowling difficult. This is why Pakistan chose to chase.
Weather update:
- 100% cloud cover
- Temperature: 28°C
- Humidity: 85%
- No rain since morning drizzle
A full 40-over match is expected.
Where to Watch
You can watch the match on:
- Star Sports (India)
- PTV Sports (Pakistan)
- Disney+ Hotstar
- ICC.tv
Live updates are available on ESPNcricinfo and Cricbuzz.
The hashtag #INDvPAK is trending on X, with over 1.2 million mentions in the first hour. Fans are reacting strongly to Sharma’s early dismissal.
With India at 1/1, the match is wide open. Pakistan has struck early, but there is a long way to go. The big question now: will India recover strongly, or will Pakistan keep the pressure on under the lights in Colombo?
