Wednesday 11 / February / 2026
Colombo : Sahibzada Farhan's explosive batting helped Pakistan maintain their winning momentum in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, as they defeated the USA by 32 runs at Colombo's Sinhalese Sports Club on Tuesday.
Now, Pakistan will face India in their next group-stage fixture on 15 February, and Farhan stressed that his team is ready to bring a 'different mindset' this time.
Speaking during the post-match press conference, Farhan remains focused on the team's next challenge against India in the group-stage fixture. He said, "When you win two matches and are at the top of the table, you feel confident. The upcoming match is not such a big deal; we're not playing against them for the first time. We've played before, and this time we'll play with a different mindset," according to the ICC.
Farhan's 73 off 41 balls, featuring six fours and five sixes, laid the foundation for Pakistan's competitive total of 190/9, while Shadab Khan's all-round performance ensured a comprehensive victory against the USA.
Farhan highlighted the significance of the target, saying, "The pitch was amazing, but making 190 on such a pitch was also a big deal. As you have seen over the last 5-6 months, we have been comfortably making 190-200 runs. We have put a lot of effort into it."
He added that teamwork played a crucial role in maximising opportunities on the field and said, "After the first over, I told Saim that you have to utilise the circle, just like I did. So 190, definitely in terms of this pitch, was very good."
Put into bat, Pakistan started aggressively with openers Saim Ayub and Farhan taking the score past the 50-mark in the fifth over. The USA fought back through Shadley van Schalkwyk, who provided early breakthroughs by dismissing Ayub and captain Salman Agha, leaving Pakistan at 56/2 at the end of the powerplay.
Farhan then rebuilt the innings alongside Babar Azam, forging an 81-run partnership through smart batting and sharp running between the wickets. While Azam fell for 46, Farhan's blistering fifty marked his first half-century in the T20 World Cups. Shadab Khan's cameo of 30 off 12 balls helped Pakistan accelerate towards a challenging total, even as the tail lost five wickets in the final overs to finish at 190/9.
Chasing 191, the USA began positively, with their openers adding 42 runs during the powerplay. However, Mohammad Nawaz broke the partnership early, and Shadab Khan's double strike, including a crucial catch of skipper Monank Patel off his own bowling, tilted the game in Pakistan's favour. Usman Tariq's three-wicket haul, including two wickets in consecutive deliveries, ensured the USA could not recover. Despite a resilient 51 from Shubham Ranjane and 49 from Shayan Jahangir, Pakistan's bowlers held firm to seal a 32-run win.
Reacting to the question if the much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash is going to be one-sided, Farhan said, "We didn't play a one-sided match till the end, and hopefully this time again we'll play a wonderful game."
Reflecting on his personal form and confidence against India, Farhan said, "I think when you make runs, you are confident. I am also very confident, and the way the last two innings have gone, I'm very confident. It's a normal match. We'll play like a normal match. We won't put it in our head that this is an India-Pakistan match; it is a normal match, and we will play it like a normal match."
With this victory, Pakistan are at the top of Group A with four points from two wins. Now, they face a challenging fixture against India on Sunday.
Brief score: Pakistan 190/9 in 20 overs (Sahibzada Farhan 73, Babar Azam 46; Shadley van Schalkwyk 4/25) Vs USA 158/8 in 20 overs (Shubham Ranjane 51, Shayan Jahangir 49; Usman Tariq 3/27).
