Hardik Pandya, right, celebrates with Ishan Kishan the wicket of Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan. (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: India’s emphatic triumph over arch-rivals Pakistan in the ICC T20 World Cup wasn’t just another win — it was, in Sachin Tendulkar’s words, a takeover scripted in the powerplay itself.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The batting icon summed up the night’s defining phase in a post on X. “The powerplay was where India took the game away from them. Ishan Kishan in the first innings, and the clinical bowling we saw in the second innings, made all the difference. We were always in the driver’s seat. India rocked it tonight,” he wrote.

That early surge came despite a shaky start. After Abhishek Sharma fell for a duck, Kishan unleashed a counterattack, smashing a brutal 77, off just 40 balls, that shifted momentum instantly. Tilak Varma added a steady 25, before skipper Suryakumar Yadav (32), along with Shivam Dube (27) and Rinku Singh (11 not out), delivered a composed finish to lift India to 175/7. Saim Ayub (3/25) was Pakistan’s standout bowler with three wickets.If Kishan seized the initiative, India’s bowlers sealed the verdict. Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel tore through the top order, reducing Pakistan to 34/4 inside powerplay. Usman Khan fought alone with 44, but Varun Chakaravarthy and the rest ensured Pakistan were bundled out for 114 in 18 overs.Former opener Virender Sehwag didn’t hold back either. “Ishan Kishan played like a real Dhurandhar. Among all minnows Pakistan looked like the easiest to beat for Bharat because of their 17th century approach to T-20 cricket, and they have taken a proper beating as usual. Full kambal kuttai,” he posted.The crushing win pushed India to a dominant 8-1 head-to-head record in tournament history and secured their Super 8 spot with three straight victories.