7 star players from past India-Pakistan T20 World Cup encounters

As we draw closer to yet another T20 World Cup clash between arch rivals India and Pakistan, it is time to look back at the history of this epic battle in the marquee event of T20 cricket. Ever since the tournament was conceived, the Indians stretched their winning streak over Pakistan in World Cup cricket to the shortest format as well.However, this does not imply that the Pakistanis allowed their neighbours to steamroll them every time. They put up a great fight on at least two out of the four encounters between the two sides, but missed out by a whisker.India-Pakistan matches at the T20 World Cup have seen some fine performances by players from both teams. Here are 7 star performers from previous matches between the two rivals:

#7 Amit Mishra

Amit Mishra grabbed the prize scalp of Shahid Afridi

2 for 22 at Mirpur, 2014

The last T20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan was played in the 2014 edition. As it turned out, it was quite a one-sided affair as India won quite easily by 7 wickets. One of the top performers for Team India in this match was leg-spinner Amit Mishra.

Mishra was extremely difficult to pick on a spin-friendly Mirpur pitch and ended with figures of 2 for 22 in his 4 overs. His two victims on the night were Ahmed Shehzad and Shoaib Malik and the leggie helped India restrict the Pakistanis to 130 for 7 in their 20 overs.

Amit Mishra, quite deservingly, received the Player of the Match award for his efforts as India inflicted a thumping defeat over their arch rivals.

#6 Mohammad Asif

Mohammad Asif tore apart the Indian top order

4 for 18 at Durban, 2007

The first ever World T20 encounter between India and Pakistan turned out to be a cracker. The match ended up being a tie and the Indians won courtesy of the first ever bowl-out in a T20 international.

This match saw a number of good performances from players of both teams; however, the best of the lot was Mohammad Asif's brilliant spell of 4 for 18. Asif dismissed Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Dinesh Karthik to reduce India to 36 for 4 at one stage.

Unfortunately for Asif and Pakistan, though, his performance went in vain as India managed to post 141 on the board, a score that his team could only level and lose in a bowl-out.

#5 Lakshmipathy Balaji

Balaji produced a fine bowling performance against Pakistan in the 2012 edition

3 for 22 at Colombo, 2012

Former Indian paceman Lakshmipathy Balaji produced a match-winning spell in the India-Pakistan encounter at the 2012 T20 World Cup. Balaji had risen to fame as a bowler on a tour to Pakistan in 2003 and formed a fine combination with Irfan Pathan in both Tests and ODIs on the tour.

As the two teams faced up for the 3rd time in T20 World Cup history, it was the Tamil Nadu pacer again who did the damage registering figures of 3 for 22. Balaji and the other Indian bowlers ensured that the Pakistanis were dismissed for just 128.

One of Lakshmipathy Balaji's victims in the match was dangerous Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi. The lanky pacer's spell is among the top performances in India-Pakistan T20 World Cup matches.

#4 Gautam Gambhir

Gambhir was brilliant in the 2007 World T20 final

75 at Johannesburg, 2007

Matches between India and Pakistan are always known to be pressure games, but it doesn't get bigger than a World Cup final. India needed at least one of their batsmen to play a match-winning innings in the 2007 T20 World Cup final and Gautam Gambhir took the responsibility on his shoulders.

The Indians batted first after winning the toss and were two down within the first 6 overs. However, Gambhir was unperturbed by this and played at a completely different level compared to the other Indian batsmen.

The southpaw scored 75 and was dismissed only at the end of the 18th over. Thanks to Gautam Gambhir's special knock, India posted a highly competitive total of 157 which they successfully defended.

#3 Misbah-ul-Haq

Misbah almost took the trophy from India’s hands

43 at Johannesburg, 2007

Perhaps one of the finest innings under pressure that you will ever see came from Pakistan's Misbah-ul-Haq in the final of the 2007 World T20. Unfortunately, a moment of madness off the last ball that he played ensured that his valiant effort went completely in vain.

But, nevertheless, Misbah's 43 off 38 deliveries was a true masterpiece on how to pull your team out of a hole. When Pakistan lost Yasir Arafat at the end of the 16th over, they still needed 54 to win from 4 overs and Misbah was batting on 17 from 24 balls.

In the next over, the Pakistani clouted off-spinner Harbhajan Singh for 3 sixes and reduced the margin to 35 from 3 overs. Misbah-ul-Haq held his nerve to take the match to a situation where his team needed 6 to win off 4 deliveries.

However, an attempted scoop off medium-pacer Joginder Sharma went straight to the hands of Sreesanth at fine leg and Pakistan's dream was broken.

#2 Virat Kohli

Kohli single-handedly won India the match

78 not out and 1 for 21 at Colombo, 2012

The India-Pakistan match in the 2012 World Twenty20 was pretty much a one-sided affair as the Indians won by a huge margin of 8 wickets. However, a lot of the credit for the victory went to India's superstar batsman Virat Kohli.

The Indian bowlers had done a marvellous job of bowling out the Pakistanis for 128 in 19.4 overs. Kohli played his part with the ball as he got rid of the dangerous Mohammad Hafeez in his 3-over spell of 1 for 21.

When they came out to bat, though, India were in a spot of bother as Gautam Gambhir fell for a duck in the very first over. Virat Kohli, however, did not show any signs of panic and steered Team India to a comfortable 8-wicket victory, scoring an unbeaten 78 off 61 balls.

#1 Irfan Pathan

Pakistan were destroyed by Irfan Pathan’s spell

3 for 16 at Johannesburg, 2007

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan may be out of favour at present, but he was one of the chief architects of India's maiden T20 World Cup triumph. Pathan's claim to fame in India-Pakistan encounters at the most prestigious T20 event came during the final of the 2007 event.

With India having posted a challenging total of 157 on the board, they needed the bowlers to step up to the plate too. Pakistan got off to a dreadful start but recovered for a while only to be in trouble again at 65 for 4.

Irfan Pathan used this opportunity and pegged the Pakistanis back further with a match-winning spell of 3 for 16. By the time the left-arm pacer was done with his business, Pakistan were tottering at 104 for 7. India eventually won by 5 runs and Pathan received the Player of the Final award.