Old foes India and Pakistan resume their rivalry with a potentially high-voltage clash on Sunday. A quick jog down memory lane as TOI looks back at the five previous encounters between these two traditional rivals in the tournament, reminding us how the first meetings in South Africa were thrillers while the others have been a cakewalk for the 'hosts'...
2007, DURBAN: INDIA WIN BOWL-OUT
The very first T20 World Cup meeting between India and Pakistan was an epic. Mohd Asif's magnificent 4-18 reduced India to 36 for four, before Uthappa (50 off 39 balls), skipper Dhoni (33 off 31) and Irfan Pathan (20 off 15) brought India to 141-9. Early strikes helped India reduce Pak to 47-4, before captain Misbah fought back with 53 off 35 balls. When Afridi left Pak needed 39 off 15. Misbah kept them alive but failed despite needing just one off the final two balls from S Sreesanth. The match was tied. In those early days of a new format, the fate would be decided by a bowl-out. Sehwag, Harbhajan and Uthappa hit the bull's eye for India; Arafat, Gul, Afridi missed. India won an unlikely contest 3-0.
Brief Scores: India 141-9 in 20 ov (Uthappa 50, Dhoni 33; Asif 4-18) tied with Pakistan (Misbah 53). India won 3-0 via bowl-out
2007, JO'BURG: FINAL, INDIA WON BY 5 RUNS
Twelve days after Durban, India-Pakistan clashed in the final. In-form Gambhir hit a superb 75, a young Rohit helped himself to a 16-ball 30 in India's 157 for five. A 14-ball 33 by Imran Nazir ended in a run out, then Ifran Pathan and RP Singh took three wickets each to leave Pak needing 54 off the last four overs. Misbah again led the fightback, clobbering Harbhajan for three sixes in an over. Pakistan requiring 13 off the final over and with Misbah on strike, Dhoni tossed the ball to Joginder Sharma. Joginder began with a wide. The next, a full toss, was tonked by Misbah for a six over long off leaving them needing six off the final four balls. We all know how it ended. Walking across his stumps to scoop Joginder, Misbah was gulped down by Sreesanth at short fine leg. Bizarre or bold, it was a famous victory, triggering Dhoni's lengthy captaincy era.
Brief Scores: India 157-5 in 20 ov (Gambhir 75, Rohit 30*; Gul 3-28) beat Pakistan 152 in 19.3 ov (Misbah 43, Nazir 33; Irfan 3-16, RP Singh 3-26) by five runs
2012, COLOMBO: INDIA WON BY EIGHT WICKETS
By now, India had gotten a hang of the format and a measure of their old rivals. Batting first, Pakistan were bowled out for 128. L Balaji took 3-22, a young Ashwin and Yuvraj Singh taking two wickets each and even Virat Kohli castled Pakistan captain Mohd Hafeez. Pakistan saw some hope when Raza Hasan had Gambhir snared for duck, but a 74-run stand off 62 balls between Kohli and Sehwag sealed the issue.
Brief Scores: Pakistan 128 in 19.4 ov (Malik 28; Balaji 3-22) lost to India 129-2 in 17 ov (Kohli 78*) by eight wickets
2014, DHAKA: INDIA WON BY 7 WICKETS
Asked to bat first in the Super 10 clash, Pak slipped to 47-3 in the ninth over before a 50-run stand between Umar Akmal and Shoaib Malik helped them to 130-7. India's hero was leg-spinner Amit Mishra. Playing only his second-ever T20I, Mishra took 2-22. With Kohli, Raina and Dhawan all contributing, India reached home with nine balls to spare.
Brief Scores: Pakistan 130-7 in 20 ov (U Akmal 33; Amit Mishra 2-22) lost to India 131-3 in 18.1 ov (Kohli 36*, Raina 35*, Dhawan 30) by 7 wickets
2016, KOLKATA: INDIA WON BY 6 WICKETS
Shifted from Dharamshala to Kolkata, India outplayed Pak in front of 61,337 Eden Garden spectators. It was a rain reduced 18-overs affair and India were under pressure after having lost to New Zealand in Nagpur. Pakistan managed 118-5 on a pitch that aided spin generously. Yet, Dhoni didn't let Ashwin and Jadeja complete their full quota. Thriving on India's pace, Pakistan collected 51 runs in the final 5 overs. Returning after a five-year sport-fixing ban, Mohd Amir and Mohd Sami reduced India to 23-3. But Kohli's masterly unbeaten 55 off just 37 balls, including a 61-run stand with Yuvraj Singh, who chipped in with 24, brought India safely home.
Brief Scores: Pakistan 118-5 in 18 ov lost to India 119-4 in 15.5 ov (Virat Kohli 55*) by six wickets
