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3 min readFeb 16, 2026 11:16 AM IST
Despite losing Abhishek Sharma for a four-ball duck, Kishan, in the form of his life, continued the gung-ho approach from the outset. (AP Photo)
India batter Tilak Varma raved about Ishan Kishan’s brutal Powerplay onslaught that turned the game in favour of the Men in Blue during the T20 World Cup clash against Pakistan in Colombo on Sunday.
Despite losing Abhishek Sharma for a four-ball duck, Kishan, in the form of his life, continued the gung-ho approach from the outset. The left-hander began his belligerent counter by smoking Pakistan seamer Shaheen Afridi over mid-wicket for six, before proceeding to take down the spinners. Walking in at 3, Tilak played second fiddle as Kishan seized momentum on a tacky strip within the first six overs.
The 27-year-old southpaw had racked up 42 of India’s 52 Powerplay runs, of which 32 runs emerged from boundaries. Playing a crucial anchor knock for India to sustain the momentum for a 175-run total through the middle-overs, Tilak said that scoring was smoother in the Powerplay, which Kishan cashed in on.
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In a chat with the broadcaster, Tilak said:“Powerplay pe thoda better aa raha tha bat pe. Phir bhi, the way Ishan has batted, dusre end se mujhe bhi laga, strike hee nahin mila powerplay mein. Toh mujhe bhi laga maar raha hai toh accha hee hai team ke liye. Main bola, ‘Bhai tu lagaate reh’. Agar wicket gira dusre end pe, main sambhalta hoon. Rotate karunga” (“The ball was coming onto the bat better in the powerplay. But the way Ishan batted it seemed like he was batting on a different pitch and I didn’t get strike in the powerplay. I thought it’s good for the team if he keeps hitting. I told him, ‘Keep hitting, if the wicket falls at the other end, I’ll take care of it and rotate strike.”)
Kishan walked away with the Player of the Match award for his 44-ball 77 that powered India to their highest-ever T20 World Cup total against Pakistan across nine meetings. In reply, Pakistan were bundled out for 114 in 18 overs, their joint-lowest total against India in T20 World Cups.
“The wicket was not that easy. Sometimes, you just have to believe and focus on your strengths. Was just watching the ball, sticking to my strengths and making them run as much as possible. I did work a lot on my off-side game, so then I can have them bowl where I want them to bowl. On a big ground, you get bigger gaps. Trying to hit the gaps, trying to take two runs. Knew we had to put up a total like 160-170, which would be a good total for us,” remarked Kishan.
English (US) ·