3 most thrilling India-Pakistan World Cup matches
India and Pakistan's eagerly anticipated clash in the 2023 World Cup couldn't have come at a better time. Both sides have won their first two matches and are well placed to make it to the semi-finals.
However, after their encounter in Ahmedabad on Saturday, October 14, one team will leapfrog the other. Not only will a win further solidify their team's place in the top four, but it will also dampen the spirits of their arch-rivals.
The neighboring countries have had some memorable battles in World Cup matches in the past. They have faced each other 14 times in ODI and T20 World Cups combined, with India having the upper hand in both formats.
India have a flawless 7-0 record against the Men in Green when it comes to the 50-over format. As far as the T20 version of the game is concerned, the Men in Blue have won five times, Pakistan have won a single match, and the other was tied, with India claiming the victory after a bowl-out in 2007.
With that being said, let's take a look at the three most thrilling India-Pakistan matches in both ODI and T20 World Cup history.
#3 India beat Pakistan by 39 runs in Bengaluru (1996 ODI World Cup Quarterfinal)
India took on Pakistan for the first time in a World Cup knockout match in the 1996 edition. It was also only the second time the countries had met in the quadrennial tournament, with the Men in Blue winning the 1992 clash in Sydney.
Navjot Singh Sidhu scored a brilliant 93 off 115 to give the host country a solid start. A late cameo by Ajay Jadeja (45 off 25) propelled his side to 287/8. Mushtaq Ahmed's 2 for 56 made him the pick of the Pakistani bowlers.
Pakistan raced off to 84/0 in just 10 overs as Aamer Sohail and Saeed Anwar were looking in blistering form. Sohail had a verbal altercation with bowler Venkatesh Prasad, following which the bowler ratted Sohail's middle stump and gave him an aggressive send-off.
Local boys Anil Kumble and Prasad took control by scalping three wickets each as the Pakistan batting order failed to take advantage of the opening partnership. The chasing side eventually fell 39 runs short and were eliminated from the tournament.
#2 India beat Pakistan by 5 runs in Johannesburg (2007 T20 World Cup Final)
The arch-rivals had already crossed paths in the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup before meeting once again in the showpiece final in Johannesburg. India had won the Group D fixture via a bowl-out after the match ended in a tie.
Gautam Gambhir top-scored for the MS Dhoni-led team with 75 off 54 balls. A 20-year-old Rohit Sharma scored an explosive 30* off just 16 balls to take the scoreboard to a competitive total of 157. Umar Gul picked up the crucial wickets of Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, and MS Dhoni.
RP Singh started his spell by picking up Mohammad Hafeez and Kamran Akmal in his first two overs. Imran Nazir raced to 33 off 14 deliveries before being run out in the sixth over. Misbah-ul-Haq registered 43 off 38 balls. However, wickets kept tumbling at the other end at regular intervals.
With just one wicket in hand and six to win off four balls, Ul-Haq tried scooping Joginder Sharma. However, he mistimed the shot, and Sreesanth took the catch. India were crowned the champions of the first-ever T20 World Cup.
#1 India beat Pakistan by 6 wickets in Centurion (2003 ODI World Cup Pool A match)
This is considered the best match contested between the two neighboring arch-rivals in World Cup history. Saeed Anwar scored a fantastic ton for Pakistan before being dismissed by Ashish Nehra in the 41st over.
Useful contributions from the late-middle order helped the Men in Green to a total of 273/7. Zaheer Khan's 2/46 made him the star performer for the bowling side as he dismissed Taufeeq Umar and Younis Khan at important junctures of the game.
Sachin Tendulkar batted like an absolute champ as he took on the formidable trio of Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, and Waqar Younis with ease. He scored 98 runs off just 75 balls, a knock that included 12 boundaries.
Although Tendulkar missed the three-figure mark, his knock was arguably better than most centuries. Mohammad Kaif, Rahul Dravid, and Yuvraj Singh all batted sensibly and took the Men in Blue to the total with 4.2 overs to spare.