3 Pakistanis with most wickets against India in men's T20 World Cups ft. Haris Rauf
India vs Pakistan matches are a treat to watch for cricket lovers across the globe. Like fans, players from both nations also remain pumped up to perform in these high-profile games. Another stellar contest is on the cards when the two teams go up against each other at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Sunday, June 9.
The two teams have met each other seven times previously in T20 World Cups. The Men in Blue have won five times, while Pakistan have emerged victorious only once. The other game during the 2007 T20 World Cup ended in a tie, with India emerging in Bowl Out.
While the Men in Green have struggled in head-to-head encounters, there have been some individual performances that have grabbed eyeballs. Historically, Pakistani bowlers are known to be world-class, and in this copy, we take a look at the Pakistan bowlers with the most wickets against India in men's T20 World Cups.
#3 Haris Rauf
Although Haris Rauf is mostly known for that awestriking six by Virat Kohli in front of a packed Melbourne crowd, he has also been one of the successful bowlers against India in T20 World Cups.
The right-arm pacer has picked up three wickets in two matches at an average of 20.33 and an economy of 7.62. He returned with figures of 2/36 during the last edition of the World Cup, accounting for the wickets of Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav.
Shaheen Afridi and Shahid Afridi have also picked up three wickets apiece, but slip behind Rauf in the list due to poor economy rate.
#2 Umar Gul
The former Pakistan pacer stands second on the list with four scalps from as many games at an economy rate of 8.27. Umar Gul was known for line and length and the ability to change his pace at the death.
His best performance against the Men in Blue in the T20 World Cup came in the final of the 2007 edition. He returned with figures of 3/28 in four overs and accounted for the wickets of Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, and MS Dhoni.
#1 Mohammad Asif
The former Pakistan pacer was destined for greater success if not for the match-fixing saga that ended his career prematurely. Mohammad Asif was a great exponent of swing bowling that troubled batters across the globe.
He also made an impression against India during the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup. Quite deservingly, Asif tops the list for most wickets among Pakistan bowlers with five scalps from two games at an economy rate of 6.14.
The right-arm pacer stunned one and all during the league game in 2007, returning with figures of 4/18 from his full quota of overs. He accounted for the wickets of Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj, and Dinesh Karthik. Asif also impressed in the final, picking up one wicket, but ended on the losing side on both occasions.