IND vs PAK, T20 World Cup: Best India vs Pakistan clashes in T20 World Cups; From 2007’s bowl-out to Kohli’s MCG masterclass – MASHAHER

India will take on Pakistan in the highly anticipated T20 World Cup 2024 Group A clash at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Sunday.

With a heavily skewed head-to-head record among these two teams, India holds the edge over Pakistan with six wins in seven matches in T20 World Cups.

While the men in blue beat Ireland by eight wickets to kickstart its campaign with a win in the United States & Caribbean Islands, the Babar Azam-led Pakistan suffered a shock defeat in the Super Over against co-host USA in its opening match.

The arch-rivals have played a number of historic and tight matches especially in World Cups.

Here are the top three India vs Pakistan matches in T20 World Cups through the years:

INDIA’S HISTORIC BOWL-OUT WIN – 2007 T20 WORLD CUP, DURBAN

File Photo: India celebrating after the bowl-out against Pakistan.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

In what was the inaugural year of the tournament, India and Pakistan met for the first time in T20 format. India batted first and posted a target of 142 runs for Pakistan to chase. Robin Uthappa scored a crucial 50 off 39 balls to help India put a respectable total. India’s innings was halted thrice due to rain but no overs were deducted from the game.

Pakistan started strong and scored 50 runs in under ten overs, however, lost four of its top-order wickets early on. Misbah-ul-Haq’s 50 off 33 balls was impressive but inadequate as Pakistan ended up tying the game.

Before the concept of ‘super over’ , if two teams are tied, a ‘bowl-out’ was used to decide the contest. Five bowlers from each side delivered at an unguarded wicket. If each team hit the same number of wickets after the first five bowlers per side, the bowling continued and was decided by sudden death.

Pakistan’s Yasir Arafat, Umar Gul and Shahid Afridi missed the stumps in their respective turns whereas India chose a different approach.

Its opener, Virender Sehwag bowled first and struck the stumps with ease. And then Harbhajan Singh and ‘man of the match’ Robin Uthappa followed suit winning the game for India.

India and Pakistan later faced off in the final of the same edition where India won again by five runs and lifted the coveted trophy.

KOHLI’S MATCH-WINNING INNINGS AT THE MCG – 2022 T20 WORLD CUP, MELBOURNE

File Photo: Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten 82 against Pakistan in 2022.
| Photo Credit:
GETTY IMAGES

Pakistan and India clashed in the 2022 T20 World Cup group stage where the latter won by four wickets with zero balls to spare.

In what was a tricky wicket, Pakistan could only put up a total of 159/8 in 20 overs. India too faced difficulties early on and lost four early wickets. It was 45/4 in 10.0 overs but Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya built a crucial partnership of 113 runs in 78 balls.

Ravichandran Ashwin scored the winning runs off the last ball but the stadium roared chants of Kohli for his remarkable 82* in 53 deliveries, including two crunch sixes in the penultimate over off Haris Rauf.

With six fours and four sixes, Kohli built a steady innings from a losing position and ensured India a strong start to its campaign.

INDIA BEATS PAKISTAN AT HOME – 2016 T20 WORLD CUP, KOLKATA

India’s Virat Kohli and captain M.S. Dhoni against Pakistan in 2016.
| Photo Credit:
K.R. Deepak/ The Hindu

In 2016, India hosted the T20 World Cup and played a group stage match against Pakistan at the iconic Eden Gardens stadium.

India managed to restrict Pakistan to a low total of 118 in 18 overs before the play was stopped due to rain. However, India too was reduced to 23/3 in the fifth over having lost Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina.

Kohli stepped up again for India and built an important partnerships of 64 runs with Yuvraj Singh.

He later completed the chase with 13 balls to spare with M.S. Dhoni, stringing a partnership of 35* runs in 23 balls to hand India the win.

Kohli waves to Sachin in the stand after guiding India to victory.
| Photo Credit:
K.R. Deepak/ The Hindu

Kohli scored an unbeaten 55 in 37 balls and as he completed his half-century, he bowed down to Sachin Tendulkar who was in the stands, making the clash and his knock even more memorable.