Mumbai, February 16: The Indian cricket team secured a significant victory against Pakistan in the group stage of the T20 World Cup 2026 held in Colombo on Sunday. Former captain Rohit Sharma, current captain Suryakumar Yadav, and all-rounder Shivam Dube’s coaches praised the team’s performance following the win.
Speaking about the match, Rohit Sharma’s coach, Dinesh Lad, expressed confidence in India’s victory. “I knew Pakistan would play under pressure, and India would win the match. Ishan Kishan’s batting was exceptional and turned the game in our favor. Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, and others also made vital contributions. The bowlers maintained discipline, taking early wickets and applying pressure,” he stated.
He added, “The Indian team has been performing well consistently for the past six months, and it is a strong and balanced unit. The team plays with confidence, while Pakistan tends to crumble under pressure. This confidence led India to a remarkable win.”
Ashok Aswalkar, Suryakumar Yadav’s childhood coach, commented on the victory, saying, “The match result was as we expected. We defeated Pakistan quite easily. Scoring 175 runs on that wicket was not easy, but Ishan Kishan batted differently and made the match. The later batsmen just had to keep the game going, which Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and Shivam Dube did.”
He emphasized, “The opening batsmen of the Indian team do not need to change their playing style. The top three must play aggressively. If one of them performs, it can turn the match. Ishan single-handedly made the match against Pakistan.”
Aswalkar noted, “There was pressure on India to defeat Pakistan, which caused them to falter. In big matches, patience is key, not pressure. Pakistan was hasty, as shown by their loss of three wickets for just 13 runs at the start.”
He also mentioned, “Suryakumar Yadav scoring runs in the World Cup is a positive sign for the Indian team.”
Shivam Dube’s coach, Santosh Samant, remarked, “Winning against Pakistan is always satisfying. India achieved a one-sided victory.”
Samant pointed out, “Pakistan made a poor decision by opting to bowl after winning the toss. They failed to read the pitch correctly. Had they batted first, they might have put some pressure on India. The pitch had some turn, and the field was large.”
He criticized Pakistan’s team selection, stating, “Pakistan’s fast bowling is their strength, yet they are relying more on spinners. The team should always play to its strengths. Our fast bowlers took wickets, with Bumrah and Hardik each claiming two.”
Samant added, “We could have reached around 200 runs. Surya and Tilak need to play different roles. If they play the same way, it will increase pressure on the lower-order batsmen, who also need to score runs.”
He observed, “The Pakistani batsmen did not seem like they were trying to win the match. Their preparation appeared lacking, and they all lost their wickets.”
Samant concluded, “Pakistan should not have decided to boycott. That was not their issue.” He praised Shivam Dube’s batting, stating that if given the chance, he would score more runs. So far, he has performed well in the opportunities he has received.
Finally, Samant declared, “Our goal is solely to defeat Pakistan, whether on the cricket field or in any other arena.”
