India-Pakistan T20 Rivalry: Five Unforgettable Matches

India-Pakistan Rivalry: Five Memorable T20 Matches

The upcoming T20 World Cup clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan marks the 13th encounter between the two nations in the shortest format of cricket. Despite political tensions, the two nuclear-armed countries only face each other in international tournaments. India holds a slight edge in their T20 head-to-head record with nine wins to Pakistan's three, but the last four matches have been evenly split.

1. Wily Dhoni's Bowl-Out Triumph (2007)

In the inaugural T20 World Cup, India and Pakistan's first encounter ended in a dramatic tie. After Pakistan restricted India to 141-9, India skipper MS Dhoni surprised the opposition by choosing non-specialists to bowl in the bowl-out. Virender Sehwag, Robin Uthappa, and Harbhajan Singh all hit the stumps, while Pakistan's top bowlers missed, giving India a unique victory.

2. Misbah's Misfire in the Final (2007)

Ten days after their group stage encounter, India and Pakistan met again in the final. Pakistan needed 13 runs off the final over, but Misbah-ul-Haq's ill-advised scoop shot landed in the hands of S. Sreesanth, handing India a five-run victory and the World Cup title.

3. Shaheen Afridi's Masterclass (2021)

In the 2021 T20 World Cup, Pakistan's Shaheen Shah Afridi stunned India by dismissing Rohit Sharma for a first-ball duck and rattling the top order. Afridi's 3-31 helped Pakistan secure a 10-wicket victory, their first ever World Cup win against India.

4. Nawaz's All-Round Heroics (2022)

In the 2022 Asia Cup Super Four, Pakistan's Mohammad Nawaz played a crucial role in their five-wicket victory over India. After restricting India to 181-7, Nawaz took 1-25 with his spin bowling and then hammered a 20-ball 42 to guide Pakistan to victory with one ball to spare.

5. 'King Kohli' at the MCG (2022)

In a thrilling encounter at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Pakistan posted 159-8. India struggled at 31-4 before Virat Kohli played a magnificent unbeaten 82 off 53 balls. Kohli's partnership with Hardik Pandya helped India chase down the target with four wickets and one ball to spare.

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