Pakistan gamers await a video assessment on a possible dismissal for India’s Suryakumar Yadav. Photograph: Reuters
Pakistan’s spinners scripted a uncommon chapter in ICC Males’s T20 World Cup 2026 historical past on Sunday, deploying an unprecedented six-man spin assault towards India in a high-stakes match in Colombo.
After profitable the toss and opting to bowl, Pakistan leaned closely on spin-friendly circumstances to unleash quite a lot of slow-bowling choices towards their arch-rivals. The technique noticed Mohammad Nawaz, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Usman Tariq and captain Salman Ali Agha all rolling their arms over.
It marked the primary time in T20 World Cup historical past {that a} workforce has used six specialist spin choices in a single innings, and equalled the very best variety of spinners employed by a full-member nation in males’s T20 Internationals.
Pakistan complemented the spin-heavy assault with tempo duo Shaheen Shah Afridi and Faheem Ashraf, though the quick bowlers performed a restricted function. Shaheen bowled simply two overs and conceded 31 runs, whereas Faheem was not referred to as upon to bowl in any respect as Pakistan doubled down on their spin-first plan.
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The gamble appeared to have paid off initially, significantly via Saim Ayub, who emerged as Pakistan’s only bowler. The fitting-arm spin bowler claimed three wickets in his 4 overs, repeatedly unsettling India’s center order with refined variations in tempo and flight.
Regardless of resistance from India’s batting line-up, Pakistan’s spinners maintained stress via the center overs to limit India to 175 for seven of their 20 overs.
The usage of six spinners underlined Pakistan’s tactical flexibility and willingness to adapt to circumstances in a event the place margins are more and more high-quality, particularly in high-profile Pakistan vs India encounters that draw world consideration.
