:Pakistan's head coach Mike Hesson (2R) speaks with players during the 2026 ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup group stage match between India and Pakistan at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 15, 2026. (Photo by Ishara S.KODIKARA / AFP)
Colombo: Head coach Mike Hesson admitted Pakistan's players were hurting in the dressing room after their crushing 61-run defeat to arch-rivals India in Colombo on Sunday.
India dominated the T20 World Cup Group A match which had been in doubt until a few days ago when the Pakistan government cleared the team to play.
India, the defending champions, posted a fighting 175-7 after they were sent in to bat on a tacky R. Premadasa stadium pitch before they routed Pakistan for 114.
"There's a pretty disappointed dressing room in there at the moment, because they know how much it means to Pakistan," said Hesson, who was in charge for his fourth defeat in a row to India following three at last year's Asia Cup.
"We know that it's a huge event, Pakistan against India. We obviously won five games on the bounce before today so we were confident, but today we got outplayed," said Hesson.
Ishan Kishan's brilliant 77 helped India recover from a first-over dismissal of explosive opener Abhishek Sharma before Suryakumar Yadav (32) and Shivam Dube (27) lifted the total.
Pakistan slumped to 13-3 with India's Jasprit Bumrah removing Saim Ayub (six) and skipper Salman Agha (four) in the second over.
Usman Khan top-scored with 44 as Pakistan were bowled out in 18 overs, with 114 their third lowest total against India in all T20s.
Hesson defended the decision to bowl first at a stadium where three previous matches were won by the team batting first.
"I think the ball was spinning quite a lot initially and we started off well but I think the way Kishan played, he took the game away from us."
India's third win in as many games took them to the Super Eights stage while Pakistan now need to win their last game against Namibia on Wednesday.
The defeat further worsened Pakistan's win-loss record in World Cups against India to 1-8. They have lost all eight matches to India at the ODI World Cup.
"We have to pick ourselves up and make sure that we're very good in two or three days," said Hesson.
"We have played some good cricket in the lead-up to this World Cup so we're confident to do well in the tournament."
