Ranking India's 5 best wins vs Pakistan in men's T20 World Cup history ft. 2024
The Indian bowlers put up a memorable performance as they beat Pakistan by six runs in their second clash of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup at the Nassau County International Stadium in New York on Sunday, June 9.
India, bowled out for a mere 119 in the first innings, were able to restrict their opponents to 113/7 thanks to heroics from all of their bowlers, who put their heart and soul into the game.
This gives India two wins in a row after they had beaten Ireland in their first game of the tournament; Pakistan, on the other hand, have now lost both the games they have played so far - at first to the USA and now to India.
India have now won seven out of the eight games they have played against their arch-nemesis in T20 World Cups and hold the bragging rights with a win percentage of 87.5
In this listicle, we rank the five best wins India have had over their neighbours in this particular competition.
#1 2007
It goes without saying that the win that India achieved over Pakistan in the group stages of the 2007 World T20 has to be on top of this list.
India beat Pakistan via a bowl-out (of all methods) and picked up their first win of the campaign after their inaugural game against Scotland was washed out.
Batting first, India struggled and could only put up 141/9 on the board thanks largely to Robin Uthappa's half-century. Pakistan's top order crashed but a half-century from Misbah-ul-Haq (53) brought them level with their rivals.
A bowl-out ensued which was won by India. Half-centurion Robin Uthappa was remembered for his winning strike that sealed the deal for the Men in Blue.
Earlier, all of Pakistan's players missed their bowl-out opportunities, while Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh had struck for India.
#2 2007 (Final)
The final of the inaugural World T20 (as the T20 World Cup was known back then) will also go down in lore as being one of the finest wins India have achieved over Pakistan in this competition.
India batted first at Wanderers in Johannesburg and put up a decent total of 157/5 on the board and managed to restrict Pakistan to five runs short of their score.
While the final score may look damnable on the Shaheens' part, they actually seemed very close to the finish line at one point.
A Mahendra Singh Dhoni masterclass ensured that Joginder Sharma was given the last over to bowl ahead of the more experienced Harbhajan Singh.
A wide and a six from a low full toss almost gave Pakistan the edge before a rapacious scoop shot from Misbah-ul-Haq ended his and his team's hopes of winning the title for the first time.
Indians across the world will remember having watched with bated breath as Shanthakumaran Sreesanth took the crucial catch at short fine leg.
#3 2022
India managed to pick up another fine win over Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup held in Australia.
The two sides clashed with each other at the daunting Melbourne Cricket Ground with Pakistan batting first on this occasion and scoring a rather challenging 159-8 in what was a tricky surface to bat upon.
In reply, India faced quite a few difficulties and were reduced to 45-4 at the end of their first ten overs.
That was when two men of immense character - Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya - put their hands up and said that they would not allow the Pakistanis to put one over them.
The duo put up a scintillating partnership of 113 before Ravichandran Ashwin hit the winning runs off the last over - the praises, however, were reserved for Kohli for his unbeaten 82.
The two sixes he hit off Haris Rauf in the 19th over of the innings turned the game in his side's favor.
#4 2024
The win that India achieved over Pakistan at the Nassau County International Stadium in New York on Sunday, June 9 will go down as one of their finest ever against their arch-rivals.
Batting first on a tricky surface despite a few rain interruptions, India could only muster up a total of 119 before being bowled out in the nineteenth over.
However, Pakistan imploded only as Pakistan could in their innings and handed India a fabulous win by six runs.
Jasprit Bumrah starred with 3/14 while Hardik Pandya too chipped in with two wickets to help keep the choke on the Pakistani batters - only three of whom crossed the hundred strike-rate mark.
#5 2016
A fabulous win that India picked up over Pakistan was in the 2016 T20 World Cup which they hosted independently.
Played at the historic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India won this game by beating their opponents by 6 wickets.
Pakistan batted first and were restricted to an extremely low total of 118/5 in eighteen overs before rain interrupted play.
India struggled at the beginning of their innings and lost the wickets of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina within the fifth over itself.
Virat Kohli (55*) was the star for India - as he usually is - and strung together two crucial partnerships, at first with Yuvraj Singh and later with skipper MS Dhoni, winning the game in the 16th over itself.
The legendary Sachin Tendulkar was in the stands of the Eden that day, and Kohli paid obeisance to him as he crossed his half-century.