Fast forward to March 2, 2014 and the Asia Cup at Shere-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur. With Pakistan needing nine runs in four balls, Shahid Afridi blasts R Ashwin for twin sixes to knock India out of the competition.
The powerful and enigmatic Peshawari Pathan is back in town after recovering from an injury and will once again be a major factor as India take on Pakistan at the same venue in a blockbuster opening clash of the Super 10 phase of the ICC World T20 on Friday.
How much mental damage those blows from Afridi have caused can only be analysed after the contest begins. Meanwhile, Pakistan have their own demons to overcome. They have failed to beat India in eight World Cup clashes (5 in ODIs and 3 in T20s, including a bowl out in Durban). However, none of those clashes were played on a Friday.
India, though, can seek solace in their superior head to head record (4-1) against their arch rivals in T20. Both teams come into the contest with a win and a loss in the two warm-up fixtures. Pakistan comfortably beat New Zealand, but were embarrassed by South Africa. India lost a tight game to Sri Lanka, but beat England with ease.
India also have happy memories of their last T20 clash against Pakistan at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad on Dec 28, 2012, when Yuvraj Singh's 36-ball 72 helped the 2007 champions to a tense 11-run win.
They could taste victory again on Friday, provided they decode the spin of Saeed Ajmal. The Pakistan offie, with 81 wickets in 59 T20 internationals, is the leading T20 bowler in the world. He tends to take wickets in the middle-overs, which end up proving crucial as that is the period when teams look to assert themselves.
Pakistan also have the second and third highest wicket-takers in T20: Umar Gul (72 wickets in 54 matches) and Afridi (73 wickets in 70 matches). In skipper Mohammad Hafeez, they also have a multi-faceted player who bowls extremely well to left-handers and can bat in the top 3.
India need a better start from their openers and it remains to be seen if skipper MS Dhoni juggles his batting order, something he has been reluctant to do. He also has to decide whether to play Bhuvneshwar Kumar. There's been a dramatic dip in his form since the UP medium-pacer made his debut against Pakistan in the T20 International at Bangalore on Christmas Day in 2012. The nip has evaporated and the swing is non-existent. He is now easy prey.
Dhoni likes to chase especially, if there is dew around, which makes it difficult to bowl in the night. His two key batsmen — Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli — are in form and have mastered the grammar of T20 batting. If they fire as a pair, they could bat Pakistan out of the contest. And bowling with dew could be easier than bowling with sweaty palms, which both sets of bowlers will experience. After all, this is an India-Pak World Cup fixture in the Group Of Death.
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