India vs Pak: Impressive records, gripping history & other T20Is statistics

The highly-awaited 2016 ICC World T20 clash will witness India and Pakistan renewing one of cricket's fiercest rivalries when they take the field at Eden Gardens in what promises to a pulsating encounter on 19 March.

Also read: Top T20 cricketers and their quirky superstitions

Despite enjoying more success than their arch-rivals in the shortest version of the game, the Indian cricket team will have their backs against the wall when they lock horns with Pakistan tomorrow. The crushing defeat against New Zealand in the tournament opener has already affected India's campaign, while a defeat against Pakistan could send them packing.

Also read: Sehwag reveals his favourite Indo-Pak moment in cricket

On the other hand, Shahid Afridi-led Pakistan made a strong statement in their opening game against Bangladesh where their much-criticised batting sealed a 55-run win. The Pakistani captain, who was also under fire, led by example with a 19-ball 49 and followed it up with the bowling figures of 2/27 in his side's comprehensive win.

India may be playing in their backyard but it's the Pakistani team who will be supremely confident especially at a ground where they have a clean 4-0 win-loss record in limited-overs cricket.

Given the circumstances, it is surely hard to pick a favourite between these two sides but the stage is perfectly set for an enthralling contest which is expected to be played to a full house.

Head-to-head in T20Is

Arch-rivals India and Pakistan have played seven T20Is in the short history of the format. MS Dhoni's men surely have an upper-hand, at least on paper, with five wins and a loss. Pakistan have surely been on the receiving end in the shortest format but the team has also won a T20I against India in Bengaluru on 25 December, 2012.

Also, the inaugural World T20 in 2007 witnessed the first-ever clash between these two cricket giants in the shortest format at Durban where the game was tied and later decided in the 'bowl out'. MS Dhoni's men came out on top with a 3-0 margin in the 'bowl out'.

Leading run-scorers

Virat Kohli is the most successful batsman when it comes to the T20Is played between India and Pakistan. In the four matches he has played, the Delhi southpaw has scored 150 runs at an average of 75.00 and a strike-rate of 119.

Pakistan's Mohammad Hafeez is second in the list of leading run-getters during Indo-Pak T20I matches. The right-handed batsman has played five matches and amassed 147 runs at a strike-rate of 119 and an average of 29.40.

Gautam Gambhir (139 runs in 5 matches), Shoaib Malik (134 runs in 6 matches) and Yuvraj Singh (117 runs in 6 matches) are the other top-scorers in Indo-Pak T20 encounters.

Highest wicket-takers

Pakistan's Umar Gul is the undisputed champion when it comes to taking most wickets in the Indo-Pak T20 duels. The right-arm seamer has taken 11 wickets in just six matches to lead the pack of top wicket-takers.

Irfan Pathan is second on the list with his tally of six wickets in three games for India. Mohammad Asif (5 wickets in two matches), Bhuvaneshwar Kumar (5 wickets in three matches) and RP Singh (4 wickets in two matches) are the other players in the list.

Most sixes

Misbah-ul-Haq holds the record for most sixes in T20Is between India and Pakistan. The right-handed batsman has smashed five sixes and seven fours in the two T20Is he has played against India. Pakistan's Shoaib Malik is second on the list with four sixes and 11 fours in seven games.

India's run-machine Virat Kohli is placed third in the list of six-hitters with three maximums and a whopping 23 fours in five matches. Surprisingly, Pakistan seamer Sohail Tanvir holds the fourth spot for smashing two sixes in four T20 matches against India.

Team India discard Robin Uthappa is placed fifth with two sixes and five fours in the two T20Is he has played against Pakistan.

Key facts

India was involved in the only bowl-out in World T20 history, defeating Pakistan 3-0 in the inaugural edition in South Africa in 2007

Pakistan's highest margin of victory by runs in T20Is came on December 30, 2010, when it posted 183 for 6 before bundling New Zealand out for 80, for a 103-run victory.

Along with Pakistan, India has registered the second most number of wins in World T20 history - 18.

When Umar Akmal isn't terrorising opposition bowlers, he is a mean fielder: his 34 catches puts him third on the all-time list for the format.

Yuvraj Singh is the only batsman to have hit six sixes in an over in World T20 and T20I cricket.

Pakistan has twice posted 191 against Australia at the World T20. The first time, in 2010, it lost the semifinal by three wickets thanks to a marauding Michael Hussey; in 2014, the bowlers held on to complete a 16-run win.

Suresh Raina is one of six players to have hit a century in World T20, in the 2010 edition against South Africa.

Pakistan has won 18 of the 30 ICC World T20 matches it has played.