5 greatest comebacks in Indian cricket

4. India v/s Sri Lanka (Only T20 International, Colombo, 2009)

On a day that belonged to the two Pathan brothers, Irfan and Yusuf scripted a fairy-tale victory for their side in the one-off Twenty20 game against hosts Sri Lanka, and won the hearts of many with their free-flowing, uninhibited, incandescent power hitting.

Leg spinner Malinga Bandara set out to defend his side’s total with every trick he possessed, trying to wrong-foot the Indian batsmen with a magnificent display of wrong ‘uns and leg-breaks. With the old fox Sanath Jayasuriya blocking up one end, Bandara managed to prise out the likes of Raina, Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja as the T20 world champions struggled towards the target of 172.

With just 4.5 overs left in the game after Jadeja departed, one could rightly be forgiven for saying that the Men in Blue were totally out of it. But the Pathans decided to end things their way, with Yusuf demolishing Bandara with three monstrous hits, and Irfan joined the party when the quicker bowlers came on.

The latter sealed the deal for his side by sending a Malinga delivery soaring over mid-wicket, and then raced down to hug his smiling brother as India ended their Lankan sojourn on a high.