The Pakistan cricket team has suffered its fourth defeat to arch-rivals India in the past four months, further deepening disappointment among fans and raising serious questions about the country’s cricket system. In the white-ball format, Pakistan has lost 13 out of 16 matches against India, reflecting a troubling pattern in overall performance and strategy.
India secured their eighth consecutive victory over Pakistan in T20 matches. After the Champions Trophy final, Pakistan last defeated India on September 4, 2022, in Dubai. Since then, the two sides have faced each other multiple times, but Pakistan has been unable to register another win.
A key aspect of Sunday’s match in Colombo was the contrasting bowling performances. Four Pakistani bowlers — Salman Agha, Usman Tariq, Mohammad Nawaz, and Saim Ayub — conceded a combined 87 runs in 14 overs. Meanwhile, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, and Shadab Khan gave away 86 runs in just six overs, which proved to be a decisive factor in the team’s defeat.
Faheem Ashraf was not allowed to bowl for the third consecutive match, a decision that has also drawn criticism. In recent years, Pakistan’s poor performance against India in the white-ball format has led to increasing scrutiny of the national cricket structure and team management policies.
Since defeating India in the ICC Champions Trophy final at The Oval in 2017, the two teams have played 16 white-ball matches, including ODIs and T20 Internationals. Out of these, India has won 13 matches, Pakistan has secured two victories, while one match ended without a result.
India also holds a clear advantage in T20 Internationals. In T20 World Cup history, the two rivals have met nine times, with India winning eight matches, while Pakistan’s only victory came in Dubai in 2021.
Pakistan last defeated India in a T20 International during the Asia Cup on September 4, 2022, in Dubai by five wickets. Since then, the teams have met six times, with India emerging victorious in all encounters.
Pakistan has also faced setbacks in major tournaments. The team lost to India in the T20 World Cup match in Melbourne in 2022, and in June 2024, India defeated Pakistan by six runs in the T20 World Cup match held in New York. In that match played in the United States, Pakistan failed to chase a target of 120 runs, leading to further criticism of the batting lineup.
