Early wickets put Pakistan on the back foot as they begin their 176-run chase in the high-stakes ICC Men’s T20 World Cup encounter at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Sunday.

Hardik Pandya provided India an early breakthrough by dismissing Sahibzada Farhan and bowled a tight maiden over to put Pakistan under immediate pressure.

Jasprit Bumrah followed up with a double strike, removing Saim Ayub and Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha in quick succession.

Pakistan’s top-order struggles continued as Axar Patel accounted for Babar Azam, who was dismissed for just five runs.

Earlier, Pakistan spinners held India in check, limiting them to 175/7.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha’s decision to field first did not prove beneficial for the Green Shirts as the Men in Blue accumulated 175/7 in their 20 overs.

India got off to a dismal start to their innings as Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha’s decision to open the attack gave them a massive breakthrough in the form of top-ranked T20I batter Abhishek Sharma, who fell for a four-ball duck.

Following the early stutter, opener Kishan forced an astounding recovery by putting together a one-sided second-wicket partnership with Tilak Varma.

The partnership frustrated Pakistan’s bowling unit and yielded 87 runs off 45 deliveries before Saim Ayub gave the Green Shirts a much-needed breakthrough by getting rid of set batter Kishan, who remained the top-scorer with a 40-ball 77, comprising 10 fours and three sixes.

Kishan’s dismissal forced the new pair of Varma and Suryakumar Yadav to rework the innings as they batted cautiously to add 38 runs for the third-wicket stand before Saim pulled things back by dismissing the left-handed batter and Hardik Pandya (zero) in successive deliveries.

Varma made a cautious 25 off 24 deliveries with the help of two fours and a six.

With the scoreboard reading 126/4 in 14.3 overs, Shivam Dube joined skipper Yadav in the middle, and the duo retained India’s momentum by knitting a 33-run stand, which culminated with the latter’s dismissal in the penultimate over off Usman Tariq.

The Indian captain remained a notable run-getter with a 29-ball 32, laced with three boundaries.

Dube followed suit and perished on the penultimate delivery of the innings after scoring 27 off 17 deliveries, hitting three fours and a six.

Saim Ayub was the standout bowler for Pakistan, taking three wickets for 25 runs in his four overs, while Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Tariq made one scalp apiece.

Cristiano Ronaldo is chasing what no soccer player — despite Pelé and Romário claiming otherwise when adding in friendly matches — has ever officially achieved in competitive games: The ultimate milestone of 1,000 career goals. It’s the summit of statistical greatness, a record that would redefine the limits of individual excellence in the sport.

Throughout his career, the Portugal superstar has broken most of the records and won most of the trophies he could have won, but being able to officially score 1,000 goals will put him in a pantheon of his own among athletes.

Ronaldo is already the leading men’s international scorer with 143 goals from 225 games, while the rest of his domestic career total over his two-decade career have come in the club game for Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and now at Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr.

So, as he nears an extraordinary landmark, ESPN will track every goal on his journey toward 1,000 — one strike at a time — until he reaches the magic number.

Ronaldo’s goal tally:

• Games played: 1,306

• Goals: 962

• Ratio: 0.74 per game

Goal No. 962 | Feb. 14: Al Fateh 0-2 Al Nassr

Ronaldo missed Al Nassr’s last two Saudi Pro League games due to a short-lived dispute over the club’s transfer policy. However, he didn’t take long to let the club know what they missed, taking just 18 minutes to open the scoring by diverting Sadio Mane’s low cross into the far corner of the goal.

962 🐐 pic.twitter.com/Arqxay2GHq

— Roshn Saudi League (@SPL_EN) February 14, 2026

Goal No. 961 | Jan. 30: Al Kholood 0-3 Al Nassr

Four wins in a row for Al Nassr and it’s another goal for Ronaldo — his 17th of the season — as he scored the opener in their 3-0 win over Al Kholood after combining well with João Félix with a tidy finish inside the box.

Goal No. 960 | Jan. 21: Damac FC 1-2 Al Nassr

40 goals to go! Ronaldo got his 960th career goal giving Al Nassr their second consecutive win of the season, with the Portuguese scoring the winning goal by drilling a shot into the bottom corner.

Goal No. 959 | Jan. 12: Al Hilal 3-1 Al Nassr

Ronaldo was on the scoresheet and opening the match up in this huge clash against Al Hilal. However, second place Al Nassr was unable to cut the cap as the league leaders scored three times in the second half to get all three points.

Goal No. 958 | Jan. 8: Al Nassr 1-2 Al Qadsiah

It’s a new year but it’s the same old Ronaldo as he scored his first goal of 2026, making it 24 straight calendar years with at least one goal, as he scored a penalty but was unable to help Al Nassr beat Al Qadsiah.

Goal No. 957 | Dec. 30: Al Ettifaq 2-2 Al Nassr

Ronaldo surely didn’t want to end the year without a goal, and he was able to do it — with the help of a deflection off compatriot João Félix — as Al Nassr ended 2025 by snatching a point.

The ball loves him so much ⚽️🐐 pic.twitter.com/U5Tfkmxqe3

— Roshn Saudi League (@SPL_EN) December 30, 2025

Goal No. 956 | Dec. 27: Al Nassr 3-0 Al Okhdood

Another strike that was all about timing and positioning, Ronaldo guided home a low cross from the right at close range to double his side’s lead and help seal a 10th consecutive win for Al Nassr.

Goal No. 955 | Dec. 27: Al Nassr 3-0 Al Okhdood

You’d think a defender would know better than to let Ronaldo have a free run into the six-yard box at a corner, but that’s what he got to tap home a flick-on at the far post and open the scoring.

The 40 year old man in the right place, at the right time 😤 pic.twitter.com/rCXIgCDkbi

— Roshn Saudi League (@SPL_EN) December 27, 2025

Goal No. 954 | Nov. 23: Al Nassr 4-1 Al Khaleej

As pretty as any of the 953 goals that came before it. The 40-year-old got on his bike to connect with a floated cross from the right flank and deliver an exquisite right-footed bicycle kick into the top corner.

CRISTIANO RONALDO DOS SANTOS AVIERO. 🐐. pic.twitter.com/tVIG5Vrxe1

— Roshn Saudi League (@SPL_EN) November 23, 2025

It also just happened to be the last action of the game.

Goal No. 953 | Nov. 8: Neom SC 1-3 Al Nassr

A penalty in the 65th minute… but it was dispatched with calmness as CR7 did a little stutter-step, waited for the goalkeeper to dive to his right and then slotted it home down his left side.

It’s getting closer for @Cristiano Ronaldo 👀 🐐 pic.twitter.com/75YCKExKx9

— Roshn Saudi League (@SPL_EN) November 8, 2025

That’s now a cool 100 goal involvements in the Saudi League in 85 matches.

Goals No. 951 & 952 | Nov. 1: Al Nassr 2-1 Al Fayha

Another game, another two goals for the Portugal legend.

Ronaldo was in fine form on Saturday as Al Nassr came back from a goal down to defeat Al Fayha at the King Fahd International Stadium.

After slipping behind early, the 40-year-old latched on to a through-ball from Kingsley Coman to restore parity for the hosts in the 37th minute. Ronaldo then kept his cool to slot home the winner from the penalty spot to ensure Al Nassr kept a flawless seven-in-seven record to start the Saudi Pro League season.

Goal No. 950 | Oct. 24: Al Hazem 0-2 Al Nassr

The 40-year-old was on the scoresheet as he, and compatriot João Félix, helped Al Nassr beat Al Hazem to continue their perfect start in the Saudi Pro League with six wins from their first six matches of the season.

The technique from @Cristiano 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/f3DGdgrTNz

— Roshn Saudi League (@SPL_EN) October 25, 2025

Following a great ball from teammate Wesley, Ronaldo was able to score with ease inside the box with a great strike and now needs just 50 goals to reach a four-digit total.

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has criticised the defending champions over the recent “no-handshake” controversy involving Pakistan during the ACC Men’s Asia Cup, terming the gesture unnecessary and against the true spirit of the game.

The two Asian giants will face off in the T20 World Cup 2026 clash here on Sunday at the R Premadasa Stadium, with fans eagerly waiting to see whether the two captains shake hands.

Taking to the social media platform X, the former cricketer-turned-commentator expressed concern over what he termed an unbecoming trend that contradicts cricket’s long-standing traditions of sportsmanship.

“This ‘no shaking hands’ is such a silly thing that India has started. It’s unbecoming of a nation like ours. Either play properly within the spirit of the game or don’t play at all,” he wrote.

The absence of the customary post-match handshake has continued in recent encounters between the arch-rivals. 

Players from both sides have avoided traditional interactions since their group-stage clash at the ACC Men’s T20 Asia Cup in Dubai last year.

The issue first drew widespread attention during that fixture when Suryakumar Yadav did not greet Agha Salman at the toss. 

After India sealed victory, Suryakumar and teammate Shivam Dube walked back to the pavilion immediately after scoring the winning runs, further fuelling debate.

India and Pakistan faced each other twice more in the tournament — in the Super Four stage and the final — but handshakes were again notably absent on both occasions.

Moreover, after defeating Pakistan in the final, the Men in Blue refrained from receiving the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, who serves as Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and President of the Asian Cricket Council.

The practice has not been limited to senior men’s cricket. 

Similar scenes were witnessed during their meeting at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, as well as in age-group and emerging competitions, including the ACC Men’s Asia Cup Rising Stars Championship and the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup.

In the recently concluded ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026, India captain Ayush Mhatre and Pakistan skipper Farhan Yousaf also avoided shaking hands following their match, highlighting how the controversy has extended across different levels of international cricket.

The practice remained the same during the recently concluded match between Pakistan A and India A in the ACC Asia Cup Rising Stars Women’s 2026 on Sunday.