Cricket Apr 18, 2026

India and Pakistan win series ahead of T20 World Cup from February 7 -a tournament live in full on Sky Sports

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By Admin
Sports Journalist
India and Pakistan win series ahead of T20 World Cup from February 7 -a tournament live in full on Sky Sports

India and Pakistan are celebrating series victories ahead of the T20 World Cup, beating New Zealand and Australia respectively before February's big event in the subcontinent.

India finished their five-match contest at home to the Black Caps with a 46-run win in a run-fest at Thiruvananthapuram to triumph 4-1, with Ishan Kishan plundering 103 from 43 balls - including 10 sixes - in the hosts' mammoth 271-5.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav cracked 63 off 30 balls, Hardik Pandya 42 off 17 and Abhishek Sharma 30 off 16 before New Zealand - whose sole win in the series came in match four at Visakhapatnam - replied with 225 all out in 19.4 overs, a total underpinned by Finn Allen's 80 from 38 deliveries.

India, co-hosts of the T20 World Cup, alongside Sri Lanka, have been grouped with Pakistan, Namibia, Netherlands and USA in round one of a tournament that runs from February 7 to March 8 and is live in full on Your Site.

New Zealand's pool also features South Africa, Afghanistan, Canada and UAE.

Pakistan have yet to confirm if they will participate in the World Cup, with the side considering pulling out after

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi said last week a final decision would be made after consultation with the government.

Pakistan beat Australia by 90 runs in Lahore on Saturday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, posting 198-5 thanks to captain Salman Ali Agha (75 off 40) and Usman Khan (53 off 36) and then rolling their opponents for 108 in 15.4 overs as spinners Abrar Ahmed (3-14) and Shadab Khan (3-26) shared six wickets.

Australia had , with Pat Cummins ruled out due to a back injury - the fast bowler has been replaced by Ben Dwarshuis after being named in an initial party - and Steve Smith overlooked once again.

Smith would have been hoping to earn a late call-up after cracking a century and two fifties for Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League once he returned from Ashes duty, but the only alteration to the squad batting-wise is Matt Renshaw coming in for Matthew Short.

Australia are in T20 World Cup Group B, with Ireland, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Oman.

Ireland have warmed up for the competition with a T20 series win over UAE in Dubai.

Watch the Men's T20 World Cup live on Your Site from February 7 to March 8. or

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