New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) India continued their remarkable form in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after a win against Pakistan, and former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar offered his insights into the Men in Blue’s stellar performance, highlighting key contributions from Ishan Kishan, Jasprit Bumrah, and Hardik Pandya.

India secured a dominant 61-run victory over Pakistan on Sunday, with the win marking the team’s third straight victory in the tournament. Bangar began by reflecting on India’s growing supremacy in the India-Pakistan rivalry. He was emphatic in stating that the gap between the two sides had widened and was unlikely to close anytime soon.

“Courtesy of that massive victory, we can probably settle this debate that the gap between India and Pakistan is quite vast and is unlikely to reduce in the near future. So every time India plays Pakistan, I feel this record is only going to improve and the margin is going to get bigger,” he told JioStar.

India’s victory was built on a superb 77-run knock from Ishan Kishan, who once again proved his value at the top of the order. Bangar attributed Kishan’s success to the team’s backing and his current purple patch.

“To bat the way Ishan Kishan did against Pakistan, I believe a couple of factors have worked in his favour. Number one, he is batting at the top of the order. He has the backing of the team to go out and play with freedom, taking risks that, at the moment, are coming off. Number two, he is a man in form, and T20 cricket essentially is made for players in form,” he said.

“So he is maximising the purple patch he is in, and there was a clear method to the way he dominated. It wasn’t as though he was targeting every bowler. He first attacked Shaheen Shah Afridi in the second over, showed respect to the off-spinners, and when the leg-spinners came on, he took them to the cleaners. Even though he was facing the majority of the deliveries, he farmed the strike very well and made that 77 possible out of the 88 runs on the scoreboard,” Bangar added.

Bangar also praised the Indian pacers, particularly Bumrah and Pandya, for setting the tone early in the match. He commended Suryakumar Yadav for his decision to open with the fast bowlers, despite Pakistan opting to bowl 18 overs of spin.

“I would like to compliment Suryakumar Yadav for the way he handled his bowling resources. Despite Pakistan bowling 18 overs of spin, he resisted the urge to start with spin and gave the fast bowlers the first opportunity against the Pakistan batters. That is where Hardik Pandya’s hard lengths and attacking the stumps were decisive and provided the effectiveness that was needed,” he stated.

Bangar reserved special praise for Jasprit Bumrah’s tactical brilliance, particularly in his duel with Saim Ayub. Bumrah’s mastery was evident when he set Ayub up perfectly with a swinging delivery that ended up taking a top edge and going for a six.

“As for Jasprit Bumrah, he out-thought Saim Ayub. On the first ball, Ayub did not really have a clue as the ball swung away and took a top edge that went for six. The very next ball, Bumrah set him up beautifully with an in-dipping delivery to the left-hander. All in all, it was a fabulous performance from the Indian seamers as well.”

In all, India’s performance against Pakistan reaffirmed their dominance in world cricket, with standout contributions from both the batters and bowlers. Bangar’s insights shed light on the calculated aggression from the top order, and the pacers’ execution during critical moments in the match.

As India prepares for the rest of the World Cup, they continue to send a clear message: they remain the team to beat.

–IANS

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