Priyank Panchal takes a dig at Pakistan: The India-Pakistan off-field drama never disappoints. After Pakistan lost against India last Sunday, in the 2026 T20 World Cup by 61 runs, they got trolled and criticised for their performance against the No.1 T20I side. It was a one-way traffic for India as they extended their lead to 8-1 in the T20 World Cup editions.
The Pakistan team is playing their matches in Sri Lanka due to diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan. They have not played their best game against big opponents in the competitions so far, and nearly lost the first match against the Netherlands.
Priyank Panchal takes a funny dig at Pakistan
Ahead of the Super 8 match against New Zealand, they have yet again been trolled, this time by Priyank Panchal. With Priyank Panchal tweeting a funny jab on X (formerly Twitter), challenging Pakistan can win the T20 World Cup like India did while playing the Champions Trophy.
Pakistan made such a hullabaloo over India playing all their games in Dubai in the Champions Trophy. They’re getting a similar privilege this time around. Whether they replicate the exemplary performances of the Indian team from CT is a different story 😂 #T20WorldCup
— Priyank Panchal (@PKpanchal09) February 21, 2026
Priyank Panchal said, “Pakistan made such a hullabaloo over India playing all their games in Dubai in the Champions Trophy. They’re getting a similar privilege this time around. Whether they replicate the exemplary performances of the Indian team from CT is a different story.”
Priyank Panchal dates back to the Champions Trophy incident
Priyank Panchal took a dig at Pakistan, citing a previous issue they created when India refused to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy and played their matches in the UAE. After the loss against India in the same tournament, they complained of India’s unfair advantage of playing in Dubai.
However, in 2026, Pakistan had the same advantage as they were playing in Sri Lanka, and despite having trained for weeks and being acquainted with the conditions, Salman Ali Agha’s side failed to win against India. Pakistan has not been at its best against top teams and has faltered in tense situations.
Pakistan falters against big teams
Pakistan are winless in their last six games against India. Only once have they won against the Men in Blue in this format in an ICC tournament, which was back in 2021, when they defeated India by 10 wickets in Dubai. Except for Sahibzada Farhan, the Men in Green batting order has not been at its best.
Farhan is the side’s leading run scorer and also the highest scorer in the tournament as well, scoring two fifties and one century. Whenever he has faltered, the team’s batting has fallen like a pack of cards, with no middle-order batter taking the responsibility to score big runs.
Pakistan bowlers will be under pressure against New Zealand
The bowling of Pakistan has also not been tested against quality batters except India, where their spinners bowled 18 overs where smashed all over the park. Except for Usman Tariq, no other bowlers have been clinical with the ball leaking out runs. Their frontline pacer, Shaheen Shah Afridi, also has not been lethal with the new ball, nor in the death overs.
Shaheen was dropped in the final group game against Namibia. On Saturday, they will face New Zealand, with their top order comprising Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, and Rachin Ravindra has been in the best of form. If Pakistan has to win their first Super 8 game, they have to pick early wickets.
