Picture Credit: ICC
After the groups of the upcoming 2021 T20 World Cup was announced last month, the fans were delighted to see India and Pakistan placed in the same group (Group 2), alongside New Zealand, Afghanistan and two other teams who will enter the Super 12 stage from qualifying rounds. The tournament will be conducted in Oman and UAE between 17 October to 14 November and will be the first limited-overs multi-team ICC event since the pandemic.
With the full schedule yet to be announced, the fans have been wondering about the date for the marquee clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan. However, it is now confirmed that the contest between Virat Kohli and Babar Azam's side will be played on October 24, Sunday.
India vs Pakistan could be the first match of Super 12
With the event set to begin on October 17, the qualifying round are expected to conclude on October 23. The Super 12 stage could begin the next day onwards and considering BCCI are the hosts, India are expected to kick off the event. Although ICC haven't yet revealed the official schedule, it is set that the Men in Blue could be up against the Men in Green on October 24.
This will also be India's first meeting against Pakistan in an international match since their 2019 World Cup encounter. Prior to that, both sides also clashed twice in the 2018 Asia Cup and 2017 Champions Trophy. The results of the last five international matches between the two sides are as follows:
2019 WC Group Stage - India won by 89 runs (June 16, 2019)
2018 Asia Cup Super 4 - India won by 9 wickets (September 23, 2018)
2018 Asia Cup Group Stage - India won by 8 wickets (September 19, 2018)
2017 CT Final - Pakistan won by 180 runs (June 18, 2017)
2017 CT Group Stage - India won by 124 runs (June 4, 2017)
It will be first T20I between both sides in 5 years
Considering the fact that India and Pakistan do not play bilateral series against each other and there has been no T20 mega event in recent times, both sides have not faced each other in the format in the last five years. It was in the 2016 T20 World Cup when India faced Pakistan in the Super 10 stage on March 19, 2016, at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Virat Kohli was named as the Man of the Match in that contest for his unbeaten 55-run knock off 37 deliveries. The wait has already begun for the two cricketing powerhouses to go up against each other once again in an ICC event.