The Eden Gardens is ready to host the high-voltage India-Pakistan ICC T20 World Cup match today. The hosts will be under more pressure than their opponents after having lost their opening Super 10 Group 2 match to New Zealand in Nagpur. Pakistan started off with a big 55-run victory over Bangladesh at Eden Gardens.
Here are 10 facts about India-Pakistan ICC T20 World Cup match:
1. It will be the first time an India-Pakistan T20I will be played at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
2. Pakistan has never lost a limited overs game (ODI) to India at Eden Gardens. They won all 4, in 1987, 1989, 2004 and 2013.
3. Pakistan holds a 100 per cent T20I win record at Kolkata, having beaten Bangladesh by 55 runs on Tuesday (March 16) in World T20.
4. This match was to be played in Dharamsala but later shifted to Kolkata due to security concerns raised by Pakistan team.
5. Having lost their opening game to New Zealand, India needs to win against Pakistan to keep their hopes alive for semi-finals.
6. So far India and Pakistan have played 7 T20Is. India has lost only once (in Bengaluru in 2012).
7. Mahendra Singh Dhoni has captained India in all of the previous 7 T20Is against Pakistan. He will again be at the helm on Saturday.
8. Pakistan has had 3 different captains – Mohammad Hafeez (4 games) and Shoaib Malik (2) and Shahid Afridi (1). Afridi will lead the side in Kolkata.
9. From the current squads, Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Hafeez, Afridi and Malik had featured in the World T20 2007 final, which India won.
10. Pakistan has never beaten India in World T20 history. India won all 4 contests (2 in 2007, 1 in 2012, 1 in 2014).
See what Sunil Gavaskar has to say about today’s epic battle:
Source: OneIndia News.
