2007 to 2024: Taking a trip down memory lane to relive India-Pakistan T20 World Cup clashes
India vs Pakistan (Source: ICC)
Published - 13 Feb 2026, 01:05 AM• Read time - 5 mins
Considered the mother of all rivalries, India and Pakistan are set to reignite their duel at the R Premadasa in Colombo on February 15 in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The India-Pakistan rivalry at the T20 World Cup has a rich history and is etched in the upper echelons of the tournament. As the arch-rivals gear up to square off once again, here’s a look back at the eight times they have locked horns at the signature ICC spectacle.
1. Durban, 2007 - Bowl-out chaos and India’s first statement
The T20 World Cup chapter of the iconic India-Pakistan rivalry began at Kingsmead, Durban, on September 14, 2007, in a Group D clash of the inaugural edition. With India having shared points in a washout against Scotland, the Pakistan game was effectively a must-win.
Shoaib Malik’s decision to bowl first was vindicated by Mohammad Asif’s superb spell of 4 for 18, as he removed Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, and Dinesh Karthik. Only Robin Uthappa (50 off 39) and MS Dhoni (33 off 31) offered resistance as India managed 141.
Pakistan’s chase never quite settled, but Misbah-ul-Haq’s calm 53 off 35 kept them alive until S Sreesanth’s tight final over forced a tie and, with it, a bowl-out.
In the second-ever bowl-out in history, India were flawless with Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, and Uthappa all hitting the stumps. Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, and Yasir Arafat all missed. India walked away with a memorable and surreal win.
2. Johannesburg, 2007 - The World Cup decided by a thriller
10 days later, fate brought the neighbours together again, this time at the Bull Ring in Johannesburg, with the trophy on the line. Dhoni won the toss and chose to bat, and Gautam Gambhir’s gutsy 75 off 54, supported by a late 16-ball 30* from Rohit Sharma, carried India to 157 for 5. Umar Gul was outstanding with 3 for 28, nailing his yorkers at the death.
Pakistan’s chase was turbulent. Imran Nazir’s blistering 33 off 14 kept them in touch before a sharp run-out by Uthappa turned the tide. When Irfan Pathan removed Afridi for a golden duck, India seemed in control, until Misbah threatened to rewrite the script again, launching Harbhajan for three sixes in the 17th over.
With six needed off four, Misbah tried to scoop Joginder Sharma, only to find Sreesanth at short fine leg. Pakistan fell short by five runs, and India were crowned the first T20 World Champions.
3. Colombo, 2012 - Kohli announces himself
After serving two thrillers in one edition, India and Pakistan made fans wait five years for the next T20 World Cup meeting. On September 30, 2012, at the R Premadasa in Colombo, Pakistan chose to bat but never found rhythm. They crawled to 128 all out, with Lakshmipathy Balaji taking three wickets and India’s attack sharing the spoils.
The chase was smooth, orchestrated by Virat Kohli. His unbeaten 78 anchored India’s reply as they cruised home by eight wickets with three overs to spare. It was the first clear sign of Kohli’s growing stature.
4. Mirpur, 2014 - Spin, control, and another Kohli finish
Two years later in Bangladesh, the rivalry resumed at the Sher-e-Bangla in Mirpur. Pakistan again struggled to gauge the surface and were restricted to 130 for 7.
Amit Mishra’s 2 for 22 earned him Player of the Match, as his control in the middle overs choked the innings. India’s chase was measured and clinical. Kohli once more guided them home with an unbeaten 36 off 32, sealing a seven-wicket win with nine balls to spare.
By now, India’s dominance over Pakistan in the T20 World Cups was beginning to feel overwhelming.
5. Kolkata, 2016 - Eden Gardens and another Kohli masterclass
On March 19, 2016, Eden Gardens hosted the next chapter. Pakistan’s batting faltered again, managing only 118 for 5 in a rain-affected, shortened contest. The total always felt under par.
India did lose early wickets, but Kohli was immovable. His 55* off 37 was a masterclass in pacing a chase under pressure, and India got home by six wickets. Another World Cup, another Kohli-led win over Pakistan.
6. Dubai, 2021 - Pakistan finally break the World Cup hoodoo
For Pakistani fans, October 24, 2021, in Dubai stands apart. After putting India in, Pakistan’s attack led by a sensational new-ball burst from Shaheen Shah Afridi (3 for 31), restricted them to 151. The tone was set early as Shaheen removed Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul.
The chase was a statement. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan put on an unbroken 152-run stand, dismantling India’s attack and sealing a 10-wicket win. It was Pakistan’s first-ever victory over India in a World Cup game, ending a 29-year wait and flipping the emotional script of the rivalry, if only briefly.
7. Melbourne, 2022 - The evening of Virat’s epic
A year later, on October 23, 2022, the MCG staged what many consider the greatest India-Pakistan T20I of all time. On a pitch with steep bounce and lateral movement, Pakistan recovered from early blows to post 159 for 8, thanks to Shan Masood’s 52* and Iftikhar Ahmed’s 51. Hardik Pandya (3 for 30) and Arshdeep Singh (3 for 32) were outstanding with the ball.
India’s reply began in ruins at 31 for 4 in 6.1 overs. With 48 needed off the last three overs, even with Kohli and Hardik at the crease, the equation looked improbable. What followed was the stuff of folklore.
Kohli’s unbeaten 82 off 53, featuring that now-mythic straight hit off Haris Rauf, turned the impossible into inevitable. India won by four wickets, and the MCG stood as one. It was perhaps the defining innings of Kohli’s T20I career and another unforgettable chapter in this rivalry.
8. New York, 2024: Bumrah bends a low-scorer India’s way
The rivalry then travelled to New York on June 9, 2024, as the fanfare reached the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium. On a seaming, bouncy surface, India were bowled out for 119 in 19 overs, with Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah sharing six wickets (3 for 21 each). It looked, on paper, like a chase Pakistan should manage.
Instead, it turned into a steep climb. India’s bowlers kept chipping away, and when Jasprit Bumrah removed a well-set Mohammad Rizwan for 31, Pakistan’s innings unravelled. Bumrah’s spell of 3 for 14 was a masterclass in high-pressure fast bowling, and Pakistan fell six runs short. Another World Cup meeting, another India win, this time carved out by their spearhead rather than their batting talisman.
From bowl-outs to epic chases and hoodoo-breaking wins, India versus Pakistan at the T20 World Cup has produced a catalogue of moments that transcend the format itself. As they prepare to meet again in Colombo, the weight of this shared history will walk out with them, ball one already loaded with memory.
