T20 World Cup IND vs PAK: Suryakumar Hails Team India Victory, Salman Agha Reflects After Setback

Suryakumar Yadav, the captain of India, dedicated their Twenty20 World Cup win over Pakistan on Sunday (February 16, 2026) to fans all over the country. Salman Agha, the captain of Pakistan, told people to keep things in perspective after his team lost in a match that never lived up to its blockbuster billing.

The much-anticipated match between the South Asian neighbors, who fought a military battle that almost turned into a full-blown war last year, didn't live up to the hype. India scored 175 runs and then sent Pakistan home for 114 runs in 18 overs.

There were no problems during the match, but the two captains didn't shake hands at the toss. When the coin was flipped, both Suryakumar and Salman looked serious and didn't look at each other.

When the captain of India spoke after the game at the R. Premadasa Stadium, the mood was very different.This is for India. "We played the kind of cricket we wanted to play," the batter said with a big smile.

Ishan Kishan gets a lot of praise.

Suryakumar praised opener Ishan Kishan, whose quick 77 helped them win.

"The way Ishan Kishan batted was the same as it had been in our last games and in the domestic league. Ishan took charge during the powerplay and thought outside the box.

Kishan, the player of the match, said it wasn't just another game for them because of the tensions between the two countries. "India v Pakistan is a special game for us and our country," Kishan said. "It is a very important game." We tried to hit good shots, but they had good spinners. "It gives us confidence as we move forward in the tournament."

Salman thought the team would do better.

Pakistan had decided not to play in the match because they were standing by Bangladesh, who didn't want to go to India because they were worried about their safety. Scotland took their place in the 20-team tournament.

The International Cricket Council, which runs the sport, had a lot of behind-the-scenes talks to save the game, even though it ended up being a one-sided contest with India improving their T20 World Cup record against Pakistan to 8-1.

Salman, the captain of Pakistan, thought his teammates should have done better, even though they had a lot of pressure on them.Salman said, "These games will be very emotional, but we've played enough cricket." "We need to pull ourselves together and think about the game in a few days." You need to look at the whole picture. We need to make it to the Super Eight now.

Pakistan must beat Namibia in their last group game to make it to the Super Eight, where they could face their biggest rival again.