(UTV | COLOMBO) – The ICC T20 World Cup is the most significant international T20 event in the world. The 2021 T20 World Cup is currently underway, with the big game between former champions India and Pakistan scheduled for this Sunday.
Many fans consider this match as the biggest one of the year. The last time India and Pakistan battled in a T20I match was back in the 2016 T20 World Cup, where the Indian team recorded a win at the Eden Gardens.
This year, India and Pakistan will cross paths in Dubai. It will be the first T20I match between the two teams in the UAE. So far, India and Pakistan have played five T20 World Cup matches, with the Indian team emerging victorious on all five occasions. Besides, both Asian teams have been part of all T20 World Cup tournaments played from 2007 to 2021.
Ahead of the India vs. Pakistan match of 2021, we will form a strong playing XI featuring the top performers from two countries in ICC T20 World Cup history.
Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma will open the innings for the team. Gambhir has amassed 524 runs in 20 innings at an average of 26.02 for India in ICC T20 World Cup matches.
His opening partner Rohit Sharma is currently the sixth highest run-getter in T20 World Cup matches. The Hitman has 673 runs to his name at an average of close to 40. He is India’s vice-captain in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
Current Indian skipper Virat Kohli will bat at number three. With 777 runs in just 16 innings, Kohli is the highest run-getter in T20 World Cup history among all Indian and Pakistani players.
Umar Akmal is the first Pakistani name on this team. Akmal was a consistent performer for the Men in Green in T20 World Cup matches, scoring 486 runs in 18 innings.
MS Dhoni will lead the team and will also keep the wickets. Dhoni was the first captain to win the T20 World Cup. He has played a total of 29 innings for India at the mega event, aggregating 529 runs at an average of 35.27.
Shoaib Malik has scored 546 runs in 27 T20 World Cup innings for Pakistan. The former Pakistani skipper has also scalped three wickets with his off-spin. He will have the back of Yuvraj Singh and Shahid Afridi in the all-rounders’ section.
Afridi is the leading wicket-taker in T20 World Cup history, with 39 wickets in 34 innings. The Pakistani all-rounder also amassed 546 runs at a strike rate of 150+.
Yuvraj Singh has been India’s best all-rounder in T20 World Cup history. The southpaw scored 593 runs and bagged 12 wickets in 31 appearances for the Men in Blue at the mega event.
Irfan Pathan and Umar Gul will lead the pace attack of this team. Pathan holds the record for the most wickets by an Indian pacer in T20 World Cup matches. The left-arm fast bowler accounted for 16 wickets in 15 matches during his career.
Umar Gul took 35 wickets in 24 matches for Pakistan during his T20 World Cup, with best figures of 5/6.
Saeed Ajmal will lead the spin attack. The former Pakistani spinner picked up 36 wickets in 23 games and conceded runs at an economy rate of just 6.8 runs per over.