T20 World Cup thriller: India clashes with Pakistan

KATHMANDU, October 23: The world cricket community is all set to witness one of the much-anticipated T20 World Cup clashes between India and Pakistan, scheduled to take place on Sunday.

India have won all its matches against Pakistan in the World Cup- both in ODI and T20 formats.

The two teams last met in the 2019 ODI World Cup in England and India last hosted Pakistan in a bilateral series in 2013. 

The question here is, who will win on Sunday? Will Indian skipper Virat Kohli open the campaign on a winning note? Or will Pakistan captain Babar Azam end the losing streak? The stats are favouring India as Men in Blue have beaten Pakistan in all of their 12 matches at the T20 and 50-over World Cups. 

With two-time World Cup-winning skipper MS Dhoni as the mentor of the team in World Cup 2021, the chances of Virat Kohli & Co. are higher to win the marquee clash. In the Indian dressing room, the morale will be boosted with the presence of Dhoni, who led India to the inaugural T20 World Cup win in 2007. 

However, one can't ignore Pakistan's form as they come into the Super 12s contest with 10 wins in a row in the United Arab Emirates. For the team, the skipper himself is in top form with two T20 centuries this year. Bowlers like Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali can trouble any opposition. 

Overall, India held a 7-1 advantage in the shortest format as Pakistan's only win came in a bilateral series which ended 1-1. But the result of India vs Pakistan on October 24 will be a new chapter in the career of Azam and Kohli. 

Kohli has already announced that he will give up the India Twenty20 captaincy after the World Cup, so winning the title and the clash against Pakistan will be of huge significance. On the other hand, Sunday is an opportunity for Babar Azam to script history.  (with inputs from agencies)