There are nights when Pakistan versus India feels like theatre: breathless, chaotic, hanging by a thread. And then there are nights like the one in Colombo.

At the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, this was not a last-over classic or a heart-stopping choke. It was clinical. India posted 175, Pakistan were rolled for 114. A 61-run defeat. No controversy to dissect, no umpiring debate to hide behind, no “if only” moments to cling to.

Just a gulf.

Here are five takeaways from a game that was disappointingly straightforward.

Agha’s captaincy: bold or baffling?

Salman Ali Agha did not hide behind convention and that alone deserves akcnowledgement.

He decided to chase on a slow Colombo surface that was expected to grip more under lights. Bold. He opened the bowling himself and dismissed Abhishek Sharma for a duck - poetic, especially after publicly stating he wanted the Indian opener to play. He even promoted himself to bat at no.3 earlier in the tournament, leading by example.

But bold decisions are a double-edged sword. On a wicket likely to slow further, bowling first was always going to be a gamble. When India reached 175, that decision loomed large. Tactically, there were lapses in his usage of bowlers like introducing Usman Tariq later than ideal, despite his mystery element and control, and repeatedly feeding leg-spin - Abrar, Shadab and Saim - to left-handers Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma.

Then came Agha the batter. After Pakistan collected 13 runs off a Jasprit Bumrah over, including a boundary that briefly unsettled India’s premier pacer, he gifted his wicket away. That was reckless. If you take on Bumrah and win the round, you don’t throw the next punch blindfolded.

Shaheen Afridi: Living on past headlines

There was a time when Shaheen Shah Afridi against India felt like an event within the event. Headlines once screamed, “They cannot play him”. Now, they comfortably do.

Since returning from injury, Shaheen has looked diminished; lower pace, inconsistent lengths, and less bite. In seven T20Is against India, he now has six wickets at an average that hardly intimidates. In Colombo, he conceded 31 runs in just two overs before collecting a consolation wicket.

Ishan Kishan took 15 off his first over and flipped momentum instantly. Meanwhile, Salman Mirza - 22 wickets in 14 T20Is and three in Pakistan’s opening World Cup game watched from the sidelines. Naseem Shah’s record against India is statistically superior. Yet reputation trumped form.

Pakistan cricket has a habit of clinging to narratives. The “eagle” narrative once fit. Right now, the numbers don’t.

The Ishan Kishan gulf

Pakistan’s batting and Ishan Kishan existed in parallel universes tonight.

Kishan’s 77 off 40 balls was not just an innings; it was a statement. A fifty off 27 deliveries. Authority against pace and spin alike. He dismantled Abrar’s mystery with 11 in his first over and treated Shadab’s leg-spin as a warm-up drill, plundering 17 in one. By the time Saim Ayub removed him, India were 88/2 in 8.4 overs, scoring at over ten an over. The game was effectively sealed.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s top order evaporated inside two overs. No scoreboard pressure. No scoreboard at all.

Usman Khan’s 44 off 34 offered some resistance, but in the context of 175, it was insufficient. When your second-highest scorer is your No. 10, the problem is not tempo, it is structure. Babar Azam had the perfect chance to anchor and remind the world why he’s elite but he faded quietly despite earlier form in the tournament.

Pakistan, at one time, was struggling to reach 100, let alone threaten 175. Embarrassing, particularly given they had no travel fatigue and were arguably more familiar with Colombo conditions than India, something Agha himself highlighted during the toss.

India bowled in units, Pakistan bowled in episodes

India’s bowling card tells a story of balance: Hardik’s variations, Axar’s control, Bumrah’s precision and Varun’s mystery, all getting two wickets apiece. No overindulgence, no panic, just pressure applied in layers.

Pakistan’s bowling, by contrast, operated in fragments. Saim Ayub and Nawaz built pressure in spells while Usman Tariq provided control but the expensive overs in the first half of the innings allowed India to surge. The trio in particular, Shaheen, Abrar and Shadab, leaked 86 runs in six overs; nearly half of India’s 175.

T20 cricket thrives on partnerships, both with bat and ball. India functioned as a unit. Pakistan swung between moments of discipline and stretches of leakage.

When one bowler tightened, the next released. When one batter resisted, the rest retreated.

Spirit of Cricket - 404 Error

India once again avoided the toss and post-match handshake with their Pakistani counterparts. In a fixture marketed as cricket’s grandest rivalry, the absence of basic sportsmanship is jarring. You can compete fiercely, you can carry political baggage, but refusing a handshake after sharing a field for three hours feels petty, not powerful.

Cricket loves preaching the “spirit of game” yet, when it comes to this clash, that spirit has gone missing for a while now. Players are not policymakers; they are professionals. And professionals acknowledge each other.

The irony remains that this contest is the financial engine of the International Cricket Council ecosystem as broadcast numbers soar, sponsorships inflate, and global attention spikes. So, if the sport can monetise the rivalry so comfortably, surely it can insist on preserving its dignity too.

Header image: The Indian cricket team celebrates their win against Pakistan at the end of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup group stage match in the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Feb 15, 2026.

Pakistan on Sunday lost their blockbuster clash with arch-rivals India by 61 runs, being bowled out for 114 in Colombo.

With the win against Pakistan, India made it to the Super Eight. Pakistan, however, will have to beat Namibia in their last group-stage match on February 18 to qualify for the next round.

After the match, criticism of the national team’s performance flooded social media, coming from former players and cricketing icons.

Former Pakistan player and commentator Ramiz Raja called the match “a bit of a disaster — especially batting”.

“India have been fielding [the] same bowling attack against Pakistan since last two or three years, and every time [the] batsmen have been woefully ordinary,” he said in a post on X, adding that there was no growth.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf took aim at Shaheen Shah Afridi, Babar Azam and Shadab Khan, saying that “time’s up” for them.

“Pakistan’s T20 squad needs new performers, not empty wins against weaker sides,” he said.

Former opener Ahmed Shahzad called Pakistan’s performance “pathetic cricket” and said it was the “sad story of Pakistan cricket. Same old faces, same old results. Please don’t fool the nation anymore.”

However, he noted that there was still time to bring in some positive change by bringing in Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay and Salman Mirza.

“They should be playing,” he added.

Pakistan player Sohaib Maqsood criticised Pakistan’s bowling, calling it “by far the reason for today’s defeat”.

“It’s not a 180 [run] pitch, even 140 could have been tough to chase on this pitch,” Maqsood said on X.

He added that Pakistan prepared on similar pitches against Australia at home before [the] World Cup, noting that “Agha won all the tosses and batted first. Why [choose] to bowl first today?”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan opined that India “seem to intimidate Pakistan on the cricket field”.

“They (India) are so much better in all facets of the game and [have] such a better mentality of coping with the huge occasion,” he said.

Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle stated that Pakistan’s cricket administration put far too much pressure on the team.

“You could see that in how tentative they were,” he wrote on X.

Sports presenter and television host Zainab Abbas said the game was turning out to be a “one-sided affair” & “really indicative” of the gap between the two sides over the years.

“That said, Pakistan did not even come close to playing to its potential, bowled poorly & batted recklessly,” she continued.

In her X post, she said, “The ones Pakistan have backed and relied on in bilaterals have put up a poor show in tournaments & not for the first time.”

More to follow

• Bangladesh’s PM-to-be pledges to restore governance, economy; vows to fix ‘broken’ systems
• Urges unity as BNP sweeps first polls since 2024 uprising

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s prime minister-in-waiting Tarique Rahman on Saturday dedicated his party’s landslide election victory to the citizens who “sacrificed for democracy” during the deadly 2024 uprising and pledged to prioritise the restoration of economy and governance.

Rahman, the 60-year-old scion of one of the nation’s most powerful political dynasties, called for national unity as he prepared to lead the South Asian nation of 170 million people following the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s sweeping success in Thursday’s vote.

He will take over from an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, which has steered Bangladesh since a student-led uprising ousted Hasina in August 2024.

“This victory belongs to Bangladesh, belongs to democracy,” Rahman said in his first speech since the vote. “This victory belongs to people who aspire to and have sacrificed for democracy.”

The Election Commission reported the BNP alliance won 212 seats, securing a decisive two-thirds majority compared with 77 for the Jamaat-i-Islami-led alliance. Turnout was reported at 59 per cent across 299 constituencies.

The win marks a remarkable turnaround for Rahman, who returned to Bangladesh in December after 17 years of exile in Britain.

However, he emphasised that the new government faces “daunting challenges”, putting the restoration of governance and the stabilisation of the financial sector at the top of his agenda.

“We are about to begin our journey in a situation marked by a fragile economy left behind by an authoritarian regime, weakening constitutional and structural institutions, and destroying law and order,” Rahman said. “We have very serious challenges to face … tackle the economy of the country … to ensure good governance.”

Voters on Thursday also endorsed a sweeping democratic reform charter backed by Yunus through a concurrent referendum.

The approved reforms include prime ministerial term limits, a new upper house of parliament, stronger presidential powers and greater judicial independence intended to prevent a return to one-party rule.

Hasina’s Awami League party was barred from participating in the polls. Speaking from hiding in India, the 78-year-old former leader — sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity — issued a statement decrying an “illegal and unconstitutional election”.

Conversely, Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman, whose party quadrupled its seats in parliament, conceded on Saturday despite initially alleging “inconsistencies”. He pledged to serve as a “vigilant, principled, and peaceful opposition”.

Rahman urged political rivals to work together following the tumultuous transition. “Our paths and opinions may differ, but in the interest of the country, we must remain united,” Rahman said.

Rahman is the son of former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who died last year. While rivals have criticised his political career for alleged corruption, charges he has denied, his party’s commanding majority is viewed by analysts as a crucial opportunity to restore political stability.

“The freedom-loving, pro-democracy people of the country have once again brought victory to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party,” Rahman said.

Published in Dawn, February 15th, 2026

GILGIT: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) has been made operational in Gilgit-Balt­istan and a dedicated CTD police station has been formally established in Gilgit.

In a statement, GB Police said the CTD had begun work with 250 officers and personnel, while recruitment for another 600 posts would be completed during the current year to strengthen the unit’s capacity.

The statement said assistance would be sought from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for basic training and professional skills development of CTD personnel in GB.

SSP Tanveerul Hassan has been appointed head of CTD Gilgit-Baltistan. All counterterrorism-rela­ted FIRs registered so far have been transferred to the CTD police station in Gilgit.

Mr Hassan said the CTD had four wings, including investigation, intelligence and operations, and would handle terrorism-related cases across the region.

He said the case relating to Thursday’s attack on a Frontier Works Organi­sation (FWO) vehicle in the Tangir valley of Diamer had been registered with the CTD.

The federal government had approved the establishment of a CTD unit in Gilgit-Baltistan in September last year, authorising the creation of 613 new posts to combat terrorism and violent incidents, particularly along the strategic Karakoram Highway (KKH).

However, federal and regional officials were facing funding challenges, with recurring expenditure for the new posts placed on the resource-strapped Gilgit-Baltistan governm­ent and uplift funds for construction deferred until the next fiscal year.

A Central Development Working Party (CDWP) meeting on July 25, 2025, reviewed the GB government-sponsored project, titled “Raising of CTD police in GB”, estimated to cost over Rs1.5 billion. The initiative followed a directive by the prime minister to establish the CTD in GB within six months.

According to official documents, the project aims to enhance the capacity of GB Police by addressing “critical gaps in human and technical resources” to enable effective responses to terrorist incidents and comprehensive investigations. The Ministry of Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and States and Frontier Regions is to sponsor the project.

The Ministry of Planning had cited “reduced fiscal space in PSDP” and a “substantial” existing financial commitment to GB as reasons for delays.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2026

UNITED NATIONS: The 15-member United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Friday condemned the suicide bombing at an imambargah in Islamabad in the “strongest terms”.

On February 6, a suicide bomber had ripped through the Friday congregation at the Imambargah Qasr-i-Khadijatul Kubra on the outskirts of Islamabad. At least 38 people were killed in the incident and more than 150 were injured.

In a press statement issued by UNSC President James Kariuki, the 15-member body described the February 6 attack as a “heinous and cowardly suicide bombing terrorist attack”.

The UNSC expressed “its deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the government and the people of Pakistan” and wished “a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured”.

Reaffirming its long-standing position, the UNSC said that “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security”.

The statement further stated that UNSC members stressed the need to ensure accountability, underlining “the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice”.

They urged all states to cooperate actively with Pakistan “in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions”.

Last week, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had also strongly condemned the attack.

“The secretary general reiterates that attacks against civilians and places of worship are unacceptable,” his spokesperson said, stressing that those responsible “must be identified and brought to justice”.

LONDON: Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe apologised on Thursday for his “choice of language” after saying the “UK has been colonised by immigrants”.

The billionaire businessman, founder and chairman of the Ineos chemicals company, made the remarks in a television interview in which he suggested “huge levels of immigration” to the UK had harmed the economy.

But following calls for Ratcliffe to apologise, including from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the 73-year-old said: “I am sorry that my choice of language has offended some people in the UK and Europe and caused concern, but it is important to raise the issue of controlled and well-managed immigration that supports economic growth.

“My comments were made while answering questions about UK policy at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp, where I was discussing the importance of economic growth, jobs, skills and manufacturing in the UK.”

UK PM Starmer had called for an apology after tycoon claimed ‘UK being colonised by immigrants’

Monaco-based Ratcliffe added: “My intention was to stress that governments must manage migration alongside investment in skills, industry and jobs so that long-term prosperity is shared by everyone.

“It is critical that we maintain an open debate on the challenges facing the UK.”

‘Inflammatory and divisive’

A spokesman for Starmer reacted by saying: “The Prime Minister asked for an apology, and one’s been issued, and it’s absolutely right that Jim Ratcliffe has apologised for that language.”

He added: “There should be a serious debate about immigration, but the Prime Minister believes in a Britain built for all.” Nevertheless, finance minister Rachel Reeves insisted the government would still support Ratcliffe’s businesses in Britain, including the Grangemouth oil refinery in Scotland.

“What Jim Ratcliffe said was unacceptable. It was disgusting, frankly, and he should apologise for his remarks, but I’m not going to let what Jim Ratcliffe has said determine the future of jobs in Scotland,” said Reeves.

Ratcliffe told Sky News on Wednesday: “You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in. I mean, the UK is being colonised. It’s costing too much money.The UK has been colonised by immigrants.”

Ratcliffe’s comments could lead to a possible disciplinary charge of “bringing the game into disrepute” by England’s governing Football Association.

During his Sky interview, Ratcliffe, who said his “unpopular” decisions at Old Trafford were now bearing fruit following United’s recent on-field resurgence, cited erroneous statistics that the UK population was 58 million in 2020 and that “now it’s 70m”.

Population estimates by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show the country’s population was in fact 67m in mid-2020 and just under 70 million in mid-2024.

Hours later, Starmer urged Ratcliffe to apologise for the “offensive and wrong” comments, with Kick it Out, a UK-based body seeking to counter racism in football, reacting strongly to the “disgraceful and deeply divise” remarks on Thursday.

“In addition to the inaccurate figures mentioned, it’s worth reminding him that Manchester United has a diverse fan base and plays in a city whose cultural history has been enriched by immigrants,” Kick It Out said in a statement.

“This type of language and leadership has no place in English football, and we believe most fans will feel the same.”

Several United supporters’ groups did criticise the comments while the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said that while calling for immigration curbs was “one thing”, portraying those who arrived in Britain “as a hostile invading force is quite another”.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Rejecting all objections from workers’ unions, the Ministry of Privatisation has issued a speaking order for the completion of the process for the privatisation of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

In a detailed decision under directives of the Lahore High Court, Privatisation Secretary Hammad Hashmi wrote that the entire process leading to the privatisation of the national flag carrier was completed under the law, and none of the objections raised by the workers’ union “Peoples’ Unity’ and others had any legal standing.

“None of the allegations raised by the petitioners/objectors establishes any constitutional violation, statutory breach, arbitrariness, mala fide, or infringement of fundamental rights. The privatisation of PIACL has been undertaken within the bounds of constitutional authority, statutory mandate, and settled principles governing the privatisation process under the privatisation laws and regulations. These petitions are dismissed,” he wrote, effectively closing all disputes.

Ministry rejects workers’ objections, cites compliance with law

On Jan 23, the Lahore High Court had ordered the petitioners to appear before the privatisation secretary who was required to hear them out and issue a speaking order.

The secretary rejected the objection that privatisation should have been placed before the Council of Common Interest as required under Article 154 of the constitution, saying the CCI approval was already in the field, given its inclusion in the sale list. “The transaction squarely falls within the executive authority of the Federation under Article 173 of the constitution, which expressly empowers the Federal Government to dispose of its property and to make contracts,” the order held.

Mr Hashmi also rejected the objection regarding a violation of Section 3(3) of the PIAC Conversion Act 2016, saying the said section was removed by Parliament through an amendment in 2023. The privatisation process, having been initiated after the removal of the statutory restriction, was, therefore, fully compliant with the prevailing legal framework.

The secretary also rejected the allegation of undervaluation of PIA’s international and domestic slots. The objectors had claimed a Rs270bn value for international slots and Rs19bn for domestic slots. However, the secretary noted that these assertions were unsupported by any credible material, independent valuation report, or admissible evidence. Bald figures stated in pleadings, without substantiation, cannot form the basis for judicial interference in a commercial transaction.

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2026