As the cricket world gears up for the highly anticipated India-Pakistan clash in the T20 World Cup 2026 group stage on Sunday in Colombo, fans are reliving the storied rivalry. The Indian team has landed in the Sri Lankan capital, ready to ignite the passion of millions.
Historically, India holds a commanding edge with 13 wins out of 17 T20 encounters against Pakistan, who have triumphed thrice, while one match ended without a result. In this intense face-off, Virat Kohli reigns supreme as the highest run-scorer, amassing 492 runs across 11 innings from 2012 to 2024 at an astonishing average of 70.28, including five half-centuries.
Kohli, now retired from T20Is, has outshone Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan, who sits second with 228 runs in five innings, featuring two fifties. Rizwan, notably absent from the ongoing T20 World Cup, trails the Indian maestro. Shoaib Malik follows in third with 164 runs from eight innings, while Mohammad Hafeez, another retired star, notched 156 runs with two half-centuries.
Rounding out the top five is Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan with 155 runs, including two fifties against India in the Asia Cup 2023. On the bowling front, India’s Hardik Pandya dominates with 15 wickets in nine matches from 2016 to 2025, eclipsing even the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar grabbed 11 wickets in seven games, tying with Umar Gul for second place. Bumrah and Haris Rauf share fourth with nine wickets each, while Kuldeep Yadav’s eight wickets in just three matches secure fifth spot. This statistical showdown underscores India’s prowess ahead of the blockbuster tie.