The T20 World Cup 2026 match between India and Pakistan at the R. Premadasa Stadium had one of those moments you just can’t script. Usman Tariq, Pakistan’s unpredictable spinner, took down Suryakumar Yadav, arguably the most dangerous T20 batter around, in the 19th over, right when things got tense.
Tariq’s celebration? Social media hasn’t stopped talking about it. He let all his emotions out, but at the same time, there was this respectful gesture toward the Indian captain.
The Viral Send Off in Colombo
Before the game, Surya kiddishly described Usman Tariq as an “out of syllabus” bowler and even imitated the spinner’s unusually halting delivery stride in the nets. The lesson, though, didn’t happen in the classroom.
It turned into a battle scene in the second last over of the Indian innings. SKY went for his usual stroke over mid, wicket, but missed a slower one from Tariq, and the ball went to Saim Ayub at the boundary line.
Indian skipper was on his way after scoring 32 runs when Tariq’s celebration got everyone’s attention. Instead of being a purely aggressive gesture, Tariq’s “send off” seemed like the combination of a sigh of relief and an acknowledgement of the challenge Surya poses.
Fans pointed out that the energy of the celebration revealed how much the wicket meant to the Pakistan team, especially after the Indian captain had spent the whole week exposing Tariq’s mysterious action.
Surya kumar practiced a lot to face usman tariq but he practiced the wrong person #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/YnSMX7T5sc
— jamee (@i_am_jamalnasar) February 15, 2026
India Cruises to Super 8 as Pakistan Crumbles
India stamped their authority with a massive 61-run win over Pakistan in the T20I World Cup 2026 at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. Invited to bat first, the Men in Blue rode high on the muscular performance of Ishan Kishan (77 off 40) and put a total of 175 on board.
In response, the Salman Ali Agha-led side shattered like a pack of cards in front of the rampant Indian bowling setup. With Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, and Hardik Pandya at the helm, India bundled Pakistan for 114.
The Men in Blue now gear up for their last group stage fixture against the Netherlands. The encounter is scheduled to take place on February 18 at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
