“Tottenham of Cricket” – Fans Troll Pakistan After Embarrassing Defeat to India at T20 World Cup

Abhishek Sharma’s early dismissal and Usman Tariq’s threat initially favored Pakistan, but their advantage vanished as India delivered a crushing defeat.

“Tottenham of Cricket” – Fans Troll Pakistan After Embarrassing Defeat to India at T20 World Cup

Pakistan suffered a 61-run defeat to India at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. (via India Today)

In Short
  • Pakistan suffered a humiliating 61-run defeat to India in the 2026 T20 World Cup, marking their fourth consecutive loss to their rivals in T20Is over the past year.
  • Fans mocked Pakistan's performance, comparing them to Tottenham Hotspur for their inconsistency and failure to win under pressure.
  • India's victory improved their T20 World Cup head-to-head record against Pakistan to 8-1, solidifying their qualification for the next stage of the tournament.

Pakistan’s defeat to India in the 2026 T20 World Cup represents a new low for the 2009 champions, as they have now been defeated by their arch-rivals in all four T20Is played over the last year. Fans widely mocked the Pakistani team, with many labeling them the ‘Tottenham of Cricket’.

In the run-up to the clash between the two Asian giants in the 2026 T20 World Cup, drama unfolded, with Pakistan taking a U-turn in its decision not to take the field against India. Both teams were going into the contest carrying momentum from two wins in their opening group-stage matches. Pakistan, in particular, had the upper hand, having played all its T20 WC games in spin-friendly conditions in Colombo, which was evident in them picking a six-spinner combination. 

Under overcast conditions at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Pakistan elected to bowl first. They got off to a good start as well, with the dangerous Abhishek Sharma removed for a duck in the very first over by their skipper Salman Ali Agha. However, Ishan Kishan continued with his heroic form, hitting a much-needed 77 runs off just 40 balls, including ten fours and three sixes, at a strike-rate of 192.5.

Pakistan bowled a record 18 overs of spin in the first innings. Contributions from Tilak Varma (25 off 24), Suryakumar Yadav (32 off 29), and Shivam Dube (27 off 17) helped India post a competitive 175/7 on the board. In bowling, Saim Ayub picked up a three-wicket haul. Indian pace-bowling duo of Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, got off the mark by dismissing Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub and Agha, to leave Pakistan reeling at 13/3 at the end of the second over. 

Pakistan were never in the chase, despite young wicket-keeper Usman Khan hitting a remarkable 44 runs off 34 balls, including six fours and a six. Four Indian bowlers took two wickets each, including Pandya, Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel. Tilak Varma and Kuldeep Yadav joined in, picking up a wicket each, as India managed to wrap up the Pakistani effort within the 18th over for just 114 runs.

India’s dominant performance extended their winning streak against their arch-rivals in T20 World Cups, bringing the head-to-head record to a firm 8-1 across nine matches. With six points from three games, India has also officially qualified for the next stage of the 2026 T20 WC.

Pakistan mocked heavily after humiliating 2026 T20 World Cup loss to India in Colombo

Following a humiliating 61-run loss to India in a thrilling 2026 T20 World Cup group-stage match, fans and social media users widely mocked the Pakistan T20I team. Although the match was a spinner’s contest, India’s spinners proved way more effective than Pakistan’s combination.

Fans India-Pakistan
Fans mocked Pakistan after a humiliating defeat to India in the 2026 T20 World Cup. (via NDTV Sports)

Fans shared their reactions, with some drawing comparisons between Pakistan and the English football club Tottenham Hotspur. It essentially comes down to the ‘unpredictability’ factor for both sides, who have failed to win matches at their highest expectations. Terms like inconsistency, exhaustion, heartbreak, and fragility are common when describing the two teams. 

Former players like Zaheer Khan and Murali Kartik even questioned whether the India-Pakistan fixture deserves to be called a ‘rivalry’ anymore, given that India wins most of the matches one-sidedly. Some fans mocked PCB for the boycott drama leading up to the heavy defeat. A few others suggested that the Men in Green should have stuck with their boycott decision, as it could have saved them from humiliation. 

Some fans even criticized PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, stating that the pressure on the Pakistani players resulted in the defeat. Babar Azam also remained under fire, given he was bowled out by Axar Patel for just five runs off seven deliveries, adding to his recent struggles. 

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