India-Pakistan Rivalry Set to Ignite in T20 World Cup Clash

India and Pakistan, the arch-rivals of cricket, are set to clash for the 13th time in T20 cricket at the Twenty20 World Cup in New York on Sunday. The political tensions between the two nations have restricted their encounters to international tournaments, with their last meeting being at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Melbourne, where India emerged victorious.

India holds a commanding 9-3 lead in the head-to-head T20 tally, but Pakistan has shown resilience in recent encounters. The upcoming match promises to be a high-stakes affair, filled with drama and intense competition. Here's a recap of five of their most memorable T20 clashes:

2007 T20 World Cup Group Match:

The inaugural T20 encounter between India and Pakistan in Durban ended in a dramatic tie, leading to a bowl-out. Pakistan restricted India to 141/9, and with scores level at the end of their reply, India skipper MS Dhoni employed non-specialists for the bowl-out. The gamble paid off as Virender Sehwag, Robin Uthappa, and Harbhajan Singh all hit the stumps, while Pakistan's bowlers missed, giving India a thrilling victory.

2007 T20 World Cup Final:

In the inaugural T20 World Cup final, India and Pakistan faced off again in Johannesburg. Chasing 158, Pakistan's Misbah-ul-Haq kept hopes alive with a gritty performance. However, needing 13 runs in the final over against Joginder Sharma, Misbah's scoop shot landed in S Sreesanth's hands, giving India a thrilling five-run victory and their first T20 World Cup title.

2021 T20 World Cup Group Match:

In Dubai, India entered the 2021 T20 World Cup group match as favorites, but Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi had other plans. Shaheen's 3-31, including the dismissal of opener Rohit Sharma for a first-ball duck, disrupted India's top-order. Virat Kohli's 57 offered some resistance, but Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan (79) and Babar Azam (68) chased down the target with ease, securing a historic 10-wicket win, their first World Cup victory over India.

2022 Asia Cup Super Four:

In the 2022 Asia Cup Super Four clash in Dubai, Pakistan sought revenge after losing to India in the group stage. Virat Kohli's 60 helped India post 181/7, but disciplined bowling by Pakistan's Mohammad Nawaz and Shadab Khan kept the total in check. Nawaz's quickfire 42 off 20 balls guided Pakistan to a thrilling five-wicket win with one ball to spare.

2022 T20 World Cup Group Stage:

Their most recent T20 encounter took place at the packed Melbourne Cricket Ground in the 2022 T20 World Cup. Pakistan posted 159/8 and had India struggling at 31/4. However, Virat Kohli's unbeaten 82 off 53 balls, including a crucial 113-run stand with Hardik Pandya, turned the game around. Needing 31 off the last 12 balls, Kohli's two sixes off Haris Rauf in the penultimate over set up a four-wicket victory for India on the final ball.

As the cricketing giants prepare to face off in New York, fans can expect another chapter of high-octane drama and fierce competition in the storied rivalry between India and Pakistan.

Tags: #IndiaVsPakistan, #T20WorldCup, #CricketRivalry, #HighStakesMatch, #MemorableEncounters