All roads will lead to New York on Sunday when India take on arch rivals and 2022 finalists Pakistan in the biggest game of the T20 World Cup.
The high-voltage clash has been scheduled in the Big Apple to give the sport the biggest possible push in the American market that is witnessing its first world cricket event.
Adding to the drama is Pakistan's shock Super Over defeat to the USA, competing in their debut tournament, which has thrown Group A wide open.
Safe to say, the stakes could not be any higher at the Nassau County Stadium this weekend.
As we gear up for the big match on Sunday, we look back at the seven clashes between the rivals at the T20 World Cup.
2007 T20 World Cup group match, Durban
Result: Match tied, India won bowl-out
The game that got an entire generation hooked to T20 cricket. The group match at Kingsmead was a low-scoring thriller, with both sides tied on 141 after regulation time. It was the inaugural T20 World Cup and everyone was just getting used to the format.
Very few thought of the possibility of a tie and what would be needed next. At that time, organisers had put together a radical concept to decide the winners – a bowl-out in which five bowlers from each side target the stumps and the team to get the most hits after five deliveries would win (what fun!).
In the bowl-out, India nominated non-regular bowlers while Pakistan went for regular ones. Turns out the Indians had trained specifically for such a scenario and had found non-regular bowlers who simply rolled their arm over almost always hit the stumps. India hit three out of three while Pakistan missed all their chances. T20 cricket had arrived on the world stage in the most emphatic fashion.
2007 T20 World Cup final, Johannesburg
Result: India won by 5 runs
Considered to be the game that changed cricket forever. A final between India and Pakistan at a packed Wanderers. MS Dhoni's team batted first and managed 157-5, which seemed below par. But a spirited bowling effort kept the Indians in the game. But Misbah-ul-Haq did not give up the fight, taking Pakistan to within six runs of an incredible victory in the final over, even though they had just one wicket left.
Then came the moment that defined an era. Part-time bowler Joginder Sharma was bowling the final over and had already been spanked for a six second ball. Six were needed from four balls. Then Misbah decided to scoop a full ball over fine leg, where Sreesanth held on to a high-pressure catch. India won by five runs, the era of Dhoni the leader began, and T20 cricket became the most exciting format in India.
One year later, the Indian Premier League was born. India, who had eschewed the format for years, embraced it with its heart and soul.
2012 T20 World Cup group match, Colombo
Result: India won by 8 wickets
If the first two World Cup matches between the teams were all-time classics, this was a completely one-sided contest at the Premadasa Stadium. India's seamers and spinners were all over Pakistan's batsmen, dismissing them for just 128. The target was overhauled easily by India with eight wickets and three overs in hand.
The day belonged to Virat Kohli. The up-and-coming star could not put a foot wrong that day. He bowled three overs for 21 runs with that otherworldly bowling action, picking up an important wicket of captain Mohammad Hafeez. Then in the chase, he smashed an unbeaten 78 from 61 balls.
2014 T20 World Cup group match, Mirpur
Result: India won by 7 wickets
A mostly unremarkable match, if you take out the participants. Pakistan once again batted first and failed to get going. This time, it was India's spinners who had their say with Amit Mishra, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin giving nothing away as Pakistan made 130-7.
India's top order got to the target with minimum fuss and with nine balls to spare. It was the time Pakistan's fast bowling resources were at their weakest with spinner Saeed Ajmal their main weapon. It would take them a few years to get back to their strength – pace bowlers.
2016 T20 World Cup Super 10 match, Kolkata
Result: India won by 6 wickets
A low-scoring rain-affected match at Eden Gardens was full of drama. Weather had reduced the game to 18 overs a side. Pakistan's batting faltered once again against disciplined Indian bowling, managing 118-5. But, unlike previous occasions, Pakistan had seriously quick pacers who were in top form. Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Sami made the ball talk under lights, reducing India to 23-3, with Sami in particular breathing fire.
It needed the calm heads of Kohli (55 not out) and Yuvraj Singh (24) to take India out of a challenging period and towards an ultimately comfortable win.
2021 T20 World Cup group match, Dubai
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Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan scored an unbeaten fifty in a 10-wicket win over India at the T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, October 24, 2021. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Pakistan' captain Babar Azam also scored an unbeaten fifty in a thumping win over India in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi rocked India's batting with the new ball on Sunday. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi celebrates the wicket of India's KL Rahul. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
India captain Virat Kohli held the innings together with a fifty. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Pakistan's Hasan Ali celebrates Ravindra Jadeja's wicket. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
India's Virat Kohli is caught behind off the bowling of Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Pakistan celebrate the wicket of India's Suryakumar Yadav. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Pakistan fans before the match at the Dubai International Stadium. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Pakistan and India fans at the Dubai International Stadium. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Result: Pakistan won by 10 wickets
Pakistan's most famous win over India. The team in green had never defeated India in any World Cup match. That run ended on a glorious evening in the UAE. Pakistan's fast bowlers were the talk of the town and they decimated India's top order. Shaheen Afridi swung the ball in late to trap Rohit Sharma lbw and clean bowl KL Rahul in a devastating opening burst.
It was a procession from there, with only captain Kohli putting up a challenge with 57. A score of 151-7 looked good on a difficult surface, but Pakistan openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan flattened India's bowling to dust. A 10-wicket win was as emphatic a result as Pakistan fans could hope for, and went a long way in avenging all previous losses.
That defeat set in motion of a terrible chain of events for India, who did not make it far in the tournament. Also Kohli's tenure as captain at all levels began to draw to a close.
2022 T20 World Cup group match, Melbourne
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India's Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten 82 to secure victory against Pakistan in their T20 World Cup match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, October 23, 2022. AP -
India captain Rohit Sharma lifts Virat Kohli as they celebrate their win over Pakistan in the T20 World Cup in Melbourne. AFP -
Virat Kohli guided India to victory over Pakistan in Melbourne on Sunday. AP -
Virat Kohli secured a famous win for India against Pakistan. Getty -
India's Virat Kohli, left, and Hardik Pandya starred in a century stand to clinch victory against Pakistan in Melbourne on Sunday. AP -
India's Hardik Pandya scored a quick 40 and took three wickets in Melbourne on Sunday. AP -
India's Virat Kohli scored one of the finest T20 innings in a chase against Pakistan in Melbourne. AFP -
Fan attendance is shown on a giant at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. AP -
Virat Kohli hit successive sixes in the penultimate over to set up victory. AP -
Pakistan's Haris Rauf took the wicket of India captain Rohit Sharma in Melbourne on Sunday. AFP -
Haris Rauf rocked India's top order with extreme pace. Getty -
India opener KL Rahul is bowled by Pakistan quick Naseem Shah. AFP -
Naseem Shah of Pakistan is congratulated by teammates after getting the wicket of KL Rahul at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Getty -
Pakistan's Shan Masood held the innings together with a fine fifty. AFP -
Pakistan's Shan Masood scored an unbeaten fifty against India in Melbourne. AFP -
India's Hardik Pandya, right, reacts after dismissing Pakistan's Mohammad Nawaz. AP -
Hardik Pandya took three wickets for India. AFP -
A pitch invader runs onto the field at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday. Getty -
Pakistan's Iftikhar Ahmed celebrates reaching his fifty in Melbourne. AFP -
Iftikhar Ahmed gave Pakistan's innings the impetus. Getty -
India and Pakistan fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Getty -
India's Arshdeep Singh, left, reacts after dismissing Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan. AP
Result: India won by four wickets
One of the most enthralling T20 matches in recent times. Pakistan posted a challenging target of 160 after fighting fifties from Iftikhar Ahmed and Shan Masood on a tricky MCG pitch. Pakistan's tearaway quicks Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf pegged India's batting back. Kohli once again waged a lone battle.
He received good company from Hardik Pandya as India edged closer to the target. However, the asking rate ballooned to 48 from three overs, one of which had to be bowled by spinner Mohammad Nawaz. Kohli took the bull by the horns and hit in-form Afridi for three fours to cross fifty. Rauf started the penultimate over brilliantly as India required 28 from eight balls. Kohli then unfurled two of the most audacious shots for sixes, one down the ground and one over fine leg to revive his team's hopes.
An action-packed final over from Nawaz, that included a contentions full toss for six that was called a no-ball and a last-ball hit down the ground from Ashwin, sealed a famous win. Kohli's unbeaten 82 is considered one of the best T20 innings ever played.
