Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has asserted that he doesn’t want to see the defending champions facing Pakistan in a knockout game of the T20 World Cup 2026. Although Ashwin admitted that India are two continents ahead of their arch-rivals in white-ball cricket, the veteran stated that he doesn’t wish to see the Men in Green face them in the knockouts.
Suryakumar Yadav and co. defeated Pakistan comprehensively in the group-stage clash on Sunday, February 15, at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. With 176 set as the target for the 2009 champions, they collapsed to 114 all out in an innings that lasted only 18 overs.
Speaking in the video on his YouTube channel Ash ki baat, the 39-year-old claimed:
“I hope Pakistan doesn’t come into the final because this is a comprehensive loss for them. If they come in the final, maybe Pakistan might get their tactics slightly better. I don’t want an India-Pakistan clash in the final. I will take anybody else in the semis or final and don’t want Pakistan in the knockouts. On a given day and on a neutral platform, India are one or two continents ahead of Pakistan in white-ball cricket.”
Despite losing Abhishek Sharma in the very first over, the Men in Blue scored at a rollicking rate, headlined by Ishan Kishan’s pyrotechnics. The keeper-batter reached his half-century in 27 deliveries as he played a crucial role in their side getting to 175/7 in 20 overs.
“I felt 175 was 250 on this pitch” – Ravichandran Ashwin on India’s total in Colombo
Ashwin went on to claim that the total of 175 was equivalent to 250 on that surface and hilariously claimed how the Asian Giants could have enforced a follow-on if 20 more runs were on the cards.
“Since Pakistan had loaded their team with spinners, I felt this was their best chance. The way Saim Ayub’s and Salman Ali Agha’s deliveries troubled Indian batters, I felt 175 was 250 on this pitch. I have an uncle, who messaged me ‘174 is Babar Azam’s Aile’. I wondered what game they were watching. It’s a follow-on enforcing wicket. If follow-on has to be enforced in T20Is, this is the right pitch. It could’ve been enforced if 20 more runs were there. Pakistan were so much in trouble that they couldn’t handle the pressure. When Mohammad Nawaz, Pakistan were five or six down. But left-arm spinner is a match-up for you but he defended both deliveries and was beaten once. If you play T20 cricket with such intent, it is very difficult.”
The Tamil Nadu-born cricketer particularly pointed out how Babar Azam has hardly improved his gameplay against Jasprit Bumrah, claiming Pakistan don’t have the arsenal to challenge the reigning world T20I champions.
“If you look at Babar Azam’s defence against Jasprit Bumrah, he hasn’t made a change even after Pakistan losing a year or two ago. The game in USA saw him push at a delivery from Bumrah and got out. It was the same in this game as he played to third man and commentary said it was a typical Babar Azam glide. But no, you will be dismissed if played that way every time. Pakistan is not tactically better and they don’t have the raw materials to challenge India. Plenty of runs will come if played on a flatter surface. I don’t know how it will be on turning wickets. Leave aside the rivalry. It is nice to have a game between them but India is miles ahead. India is a couple of continents ahead currently.”
The Men in Green now must beat Namibia in their final Group Game to advance to the Super 8 stage.
Edited by Gokul Nair