New Delhi, India
India and Pakistan's cricketing rivalry surely makes heads turn. In the recently-concluded Asia Cup 2022 edition, held in the UAE, both sides met for the first time after last year's T20 World Cup face-off and played each other twice.
In both the meetings, the match went down to the wire as both won and lost a game each. Now, India and Pakistan will square off once again in the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2022 edition, in Australia from October-November, at the iconic MCG, Melbourne. It promises to be another mouth-watering clash in the Indo-Pak rivalry on the 22-yard cricket strip.
On this day in 2007, India and Pakistan locked horns for the first time in the inaugural T20 WC, at Durban. In the day-night encounter, at Kingsmead, Durban, MS Dhoni led India for the first time ever -- after the Scotland tie was entirely abanonded after the toss -- and the match was a blockbuster in every sense.
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Opting to bowl first, Shoaib Malik-led Men in Green rode on Mohammad Asif's 4 for 18 and Shahid Afridi's twin strikes to restrict India to 141-9 in 20 overs. Robin Uthappa's 50, Dhoni's 31-ball and lusty blows from Irfan Pathan-Ajit Agarkar saved India from a spot of bother after they were reeling at 36 for 4.
In reply, Misbah-ul-Haq was the lone warrior for Pakistan as his 53 took his side to 141-7 and the match went to the bowl-out. The bowl-out added much drama to the high-voltage clash which brought a lot of newness to the game. Eventually, India beat Pakistan 3-0, by hitting the stumps in their initial three attempts, to win the contest. Here's the video of the bowl-out:
â @YasArafat12
â @mdk_gul
â @SAfridiOfficial#OnThisDay in 2007 India v Pakistan at #WT20 finished in a tie⦠and India won the bowl-out! pic.twitter.com/sN2dZMyLN2
â ICC (@ICC) September 14, 2018
Indo-Pak fans will be eager to see another such blockbuster clash when the two sides lock horns in the upcoming T20 WC Down Under. The match will be held on October 23 in Melbourne and will be played infront of a jam-packed crowd at the iconic venue.
Rohit-led India will be determined to settle scores with Babar Azam's Pakistan after a defeat in their last T20 WC. Will the script change this time around in India's favour? Only time will tell...