India beats Pakistan by 61 runs in marquee group game at T20 World Cup. No handshakes again

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — India and Pakistan players declined to shake hands before and after the highly-charged group game between the archrivals at cricket's Twenty20 World Cup. India won it by 61 runs on Sunday to secure its place in the next stage.

India opener Ishan Kishan scored 77 off 40 deliveries in a match that only went ahead at Colombo after Pakistan reversed its decision to boycott.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha and India captain Suryakumar Yadav didn't shake hands at the pre-game toss of the coin, extending a freeze that started at last year's acrimonious Asian Cup. Players there refused to shake hands during a tournament that took place amid diplomatic and military tensions between the neighboring countries.

India posted 175-7 on a sticky pitch at R. Premadasa Stadium and dismissed Pakistan for 114 in 18 overs. Despite the heavy defeat, Pakistan can still advance from Group A.

Agha’s decision to bowl first surprised many because the ground has a history of not favoring run chases.

“Our bowlers didn’t bowl well according to the situation and when it came to batting we didn’t apply ourselves, they didn’t give us a chance to go deep in the game,” Agha said.

It wasn't all one-way. India's innings had an early setback when its most aggressive batter, Abhishek Sharma, was dismissed without scoring. Agha bowled the first over with four dot balls and had Sharma caught by Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Kishan got India going with a six and a boundary in the following over and he dominated an 87-run stand for the second wicket with Tilak Varma.

He blazed three sixes and 10 boundaries before being bowled by off spinner Saim Ayub.

Ayub took two wickets in his last over to finish with his career-best T20I bowling of 3-25.

Yadav (32) and Shivam Dube (27) made useful contributions for India.

Seam bowler Hardik Pandya gave India an ideal start with a wicket-maiden to start, dismissing Sahibzada Farhan with the fourth delivery of the innings.

Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets in the next over to have Pakistan reeling at 13-3 and spinner Axar Patel bowled Babar Azam (5) in the fifth over to leave Pakistan 34-4.

Usman Khan resisted with a 34-ball 44 but was stumped when he stepped out to hit Patel.

Agha said his Pakistan lineup must now focus on securing its place in the last eight.

Second-place U.S. and third-place Pakistan have four points each in Group A but Pakistan still has a game in hand against Namibia, which is 0-3 so far.

“You have to see the bigger picture," Agha said, "we need to win that game and qualify … and then a new tournament starts.”

India and Pakistan could meet again in the semifinals or final. That game would also be played in Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the tournament with India.

Leading into the Colombo match, Agha said it was up to the Indian players to decide whether or not they'd revive the pre- and post-match handshakes that are customary in international cricket.

Yadav, for his part, had been non-committal.

Pakistan’s government considered withdrawing its team from Sunday’s match after the International Cricket Council kicked Bangladesh out of the World Cup for refusing to play matches in India, citing security concerns.

Pakistan only agreed to play after intense discussions with the ICC.

Political and military tensions have meant the two teams have not played a bilateral series for years, and that has given elevated status to their games at ICC events.

India has not traveled to Pakistan since 2008 and Pakistan visited India for the 50-over World Cup in 2023, but has since played ICC tournaments at neutral venues.

India has won 13 of the 17 T20 internationals contested against Pakistan.

In Mumbai, West Indies notched its third successive win in Group C when it thumped Nepal by nine wickets and qualified for the Super 8 stage.

West Indies had already beaten Scotland and England.

Nepal opened the tournament with a narrow loss to England, but is out of contention following heavy defeats to Italy and West Indies.

Fast bowler Jason Holder returned 4-27 and restricted Nepal to 133-8. Shai Hope then smashed an unbeaten 61 off 44 balls and Shimron Hetmyer scored 46 as West Indies cruised to 134-1 in 15.2 overs.

Sanjay Krishnamurthi kept American hopes of Super 8 qualification alive with a maiden T20I half-century – 68 not out off 33 balls – in the 31-run victory over Namibia.

Skipper Monank Patel scored 52 off 30 balls as the U.S. notched its tournament highest score – 199-4 in 20 overs. Namibia was restricted to 168-6 in reply.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Indian fans celebrate Indian team's victory against Pakistan in ICC men's T20 World Cup cricket match played at Colombo in Sri Lanka, in Ahmedabad, India, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Pakistan's Usman Tariq is bowled out by India's Hardik Pandya during the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

India's captain Suryakumar Yadav, right, and Ishan Kishan celebrate after India won their T20 World Cup cricket match against Pakistan in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

India's captain Suryakumar Yadav, left, and Pakistan's captain Salman Ali Agha walk past each other after the coin toss of the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

Pakistan's captain Salman Ali Agha, left, looks at India's captain Suryakumar Yadav after the coin toss of the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

India's captain Suryakumar Yadav tosses the coin before the start of the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

West Indies' captain Shai Hope, right and Shimron Hetmyer run between the wickets to score during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Nepal and West Indies in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

West Indies' Jason Holder, second left, Nepal's Aarif Sheikh during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Nepal and West Indies in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

West Indies' captain Shai Hope, right, pats on the shoulder of Nepal's captain Rohit Paudel after the coin toss during the T20 World Cup cricket match between Nepal and West Indies in Mumbai, India, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

India's captain Suryakumar Yadav reacts as he leaves the ground after losing his wicket during the T20 World Cup cricket match between India and Namibia in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

FILE - Pakistan's Salman Ali Agha walks off the field after his dismissal during the third T20 cricket match between Pakistan and Australia, in Lahore, Pakistan, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary, File)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander broke Wilt Chamberlain's record for consecutive games with 20 points or more, extending his streak to 127 on Thursday night.

The Oklahoma City Thunder guard hit two free throws in the third quarter against the Boston Celtics to reach 19 points. With the crowd on its feet, Gilgeous-Alexander pump-faked several times and drilled a jumper over Baylor Scheierman from beyond the free-throw line with 7:04 left in the period to push his total to 21.

He finished with 35 points and nine assists as the Thunder beat the Celtics 104-102.

Chamberlain's record had stood since 1963, and early on, it looked like Gilgeous-Alexander might struggle to break it. He didn't score until halfway through the first quarter, but he had 10 points by the end of the period and 17 at halftime.

Gilgeous-Alexander won his first MVP award last season, and his consistency for the defending champion Thunder could lead to a repeat. He won the scoring title last season and ranks second in scoring this year. Oklahoma City has the league's best record.

Coach Mark Daigneault credited Gilgeous-Alexander for his steady focus.

“That’s the impressive thing about him,” Daigneault said before the game. “Human nature is that you have success, you ease a little bit, and he’s the opposite. He tastes it, he wants more, he wants to come back for seconds.”

Chamberlain scored at least 20 in 126 straight games from 1961 to 1963. He had 20 or more in every game of the 1961-62 season for the Philadelphia Warriors, which included his record 100-point game in 1962. Chamberlain’s streak ended on Jan. 20, 1963, when he was ejected after just four minutes for the San Francisco Warriors against the St. Louis Hawks.

Gilgeous-Alexander tied the record on Monday, when he scored 35 points against the Denver Nuggets. He also had a career-high 15 assists and nine rebounds and hit the decisive 3-pointer in the closing seconds.

“He puts the work behind it, does it consistently,” Daigneault said. “He’s a perfectionist when it comes to his craft. He’s got an unbelievably high bar for himself, and yet, he’s incredibly empathic with his teammates.”

Gilgeous-Alexander has five games with at least 50 points during the run, including a career-high 55-point effort against the Indiana Pacers in the second game of this season. He was last held under 20 when he scored 18 on Oct. 30, 2024 against San Antonio.

Gilgeous-Alexander passed Chamberlain's second-best streak of 92 games earlier this season. The Thunder improved to 103-24 during Gilgeous-Alexander’s streak.

It's been a week of scoring feats in the NBA. Miami's Bam Adebayo scored 83 points on Tuesday, the second most behind Chamberlain's 100-point game.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) goes to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signs autographs before an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, left, looks to shoot over Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, left, looks to shoot against Boston Celtics guard Baylor Scheierman (55) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)