COLOMBO, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Defending champions India thumped Pakistan by 61 runs in a grudge Group A match of the Twenty20 World Cup to secure their place in the Super Eight stage of the tournament on Sunday.

Australian journalists Geoff Lemon and Adam Collins poked fun at Pakistan's government's flip-flop show on playing India as desperate and illogical, leading to backlash from Pakistani fans online. Despite the controversy,

What began as concern expressed by Pakistani cricket greats has now snowballed into an unprecedented, cross-border appeal from Indian and international former captains, cutting across political and national divides.

Usman Tariq asserted that the Pakistani players have worked on the mistakes they committed against India and have the confidence of beating any side they are up against. Find out more, only on CricTracker.

India and Pakistan have historically had strained political relations. However, since the Pahalgam attacks in April 2025, India's stance towards Pakistan has intensified. The twist, though, is that the PCB has often opted to fight and lose its battles, rather than giving up at the very start.

India defeated Pakistan by 61 runs in the T20 World Cup 2026. The defeat has reportedly led to political unrest, with Field Marshal Asim Munir expressing dissatisfaction with the team's preparation, potentially jeopardizing PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi's position.

To guarantee a spot in the Super 8, Pakistan have to beat Namibia on Wednesday. Before enduring a tough loss against India, the Salman Agha-led unit had beaten the Netherlands and USA.