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The cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan produces some of the most dramatic stories in the history of the sport. As the teams prepare for their latest encounter in the 2026 T20 World Cup, we look back at the definitive moments that have shaped this contest over the decades.

1. Misbah Scoop: 2007 T20 World Cup Final

The final of the first-ever T20 World Cup in Johannesburg remains the most significant moment in the shortest format. Pakistan needed 6 runs from 4 balls when Misbah-ul-Haq attempted a high-risk scoop shot over short fine-leg. The ball landed in Sreesanth's hands, giving India a five-run victory. This win changed the landscape of world cricket, eventually leading to the creation of the IPL.

2. Kohli’s MCG Masterclass: 2022 T20 World Cup

Chasing 160 at a packed Melbourne Cricket Ground, India were struggling at 31/4. Virat Kohli played an innings that many consider the greatest in T20 history. His two consecutive sixes against Haris Rauf in the 19th over, including a back-foot punch straight over the bowler’s head, turned the game. India won on the final ball, sealing a victory that seemed impossible just an hour earlier.

3. Prasad-Sohail Face-off: 1996 World Cup

The 1996 quarter-final in Bangalore featured one of the most famous examples of on-field aggression. After hitting Venkatesh Prasad for a boundary, Aamer Sohail pointed at the fence and told the bowler to go fetch the ball. On the very next delivery, Prasad bowled Sohail and gestured toward the pavilion. It remains the ultimate example of a bowler getting the last laugh.

4. Miandad’s Last-Ball Six: 1986 Austral-Asia Cup

Before India's dominance in World Cups, Javed Miandad gave Pakistan their most famous win at Sharjah. Pakistan needed 4 runs from the final ball of the match. Chetan Sharma bowled a low full-toss, and Miandad sent it into the crowd. That single shot gave Pakistan a psychological advantage over India that lasted for the better part of a decade.

5. Sachin’s Assault at Centurion: 2003 World Cup

During the 2003 World Cup, Sachin Tendulkar played an innings that silenced one of the fastest bowling attacks ever assembled. Chasing 274, Tendulkar attacked Shoaib Akhtar from the start. His upper-cut for six over third man in the second over became the defining image of that tournament. He made 98 off 75 balls, ensuring India maintained their perfect World Cup record against Pakistan.

6. Anil Kumble’s Perfect 10: 1999 Feroz Shah Kotla Test

History was made in Delhi when Anil Kumble became only the second bowler in Test history to take all ten wickets in an innings. His figures of 10/74 single-handedly won the match for India and leveled the series. It was a feat of incredible accuracy and stamina that remains one of the greatest individual achievements in any format of the game.

7. 2007 Bowl-Out: A T20 First

During the group stages of the 2007 T20 World Cup, a match ended in a tie for the first time. Instead of a Super Over, the game was decided by a bowl-out. India’s bowlers, including part-timers like Virender Sehwag and Robin Uthappa, hit the stumps three times. In contrast, Pakistan’s regular fast bowlers missed all three attempts, giving India a unique victory.

8. Sultan of Multan: Sehwag’s Triple Century in 2004

Virender Sehwag became the first Indian to score a triple century during the 2004 tour of Pakistan. He reached the milestone of 309 in Multan, famously bringing up his 300 with a six off Saqlain Mushtaq. This performance set the tone for India's first-ever Test series win on Pakistani soil and changed how the world viewed Indian opening batsmen.

9. Afridi’s Late Drama: 2014 Asia Cup

Shahid Afridi showed his match-winning power during a tense Asia Cup clash in Dhaka. With Pakistan needing 10 runs in the final over with only one wicket left, Afridi hit two massive sixes off Ravichandran Ashwin. The win was a reminder of Afridi's ability to turn a game in the space of a few balls, even when the odds were against his team.

10. The 1992 World Cup Tiff: Miandad vs More

One of the funniest moments in the rivalry occurred when Javed Miandad grew frustrated with Indian wicketkeeper Kiran More’s constant appealing. To mock More, Miandad began jumping up and down like a frog between deliveries. While the match was intense, this moment added a layer of theater that fans still talk about today.