In a high-octane clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, India’s opening batter Ishan Kishan further repaid the selectors’ faith who gave him the nod over Shubman Gll in the T20 World Cup 2026 squad. In the highly anticipated showdown against Pakistan, the explosive left-hander played a blinder, shifting the hierarchy of the most storied individual performances in this historic rivalry. Kishan’s blistering 77 saw him leapfrog the current India Head Coach, Gautam Gambhir, on the all-time list of highest individual scores in India-Pakistan T20Is.
Gambhir’s iconic 75, which anchored India to victory in the 2007 World T20 Final, had remained a benchmark for nearly two decades. However, Kishan’s aggressive approach in the humid conditions of Colombo finally pushed the veteran’s tally down to fifth on the elite list.
While Kishan successfully dismantled the Pakistan pace attack, he missed out on the ultimate record by a whisker. He was eyeing Virat Kohli’s monumental 82 not out from the 2022 Melbourne Cricket Ground thriller, a knock many consider the greatest in T20 history.
Highest individual scores in Ind-Pak T20Is:
82* Virat Kohli Melbourne 2022
79* Mohd Rizwan Dubai 2021
78* Virat Kohli Colombo RPS 2012
77 Ishan Kishan Colombo RPS 2026
75 Gautam Gambhir Joburg 2007
Kishan looked well-placed to breach the 80-run mark before being bowled by Saim Ayub. He also narrowly missed out on Kohli’s 2012 Colombo effort of 78*, to be slotted 4th in list.
Kishan’s knock was characterised by its sheer velocity. By reaching 77 in fiery fashion, he ensured India maintained a run rate around 10 per over.
Earlier, India lost the returning world no. 1 batter, Abhishek Sharma, in the first over of the game. The southpaw departed for a 4-ball duck. Abhishek made a return to the playing XI after a gap of two games, which he missed due to a stomach issue. Abhishek was removed by Pakistan skipper Salman Agha.