In 1989, under the leadership of Imran Khan, Pakistan defeated India in America and created a stir in Indian cricket, according to a BBC Urdu report.

This is not the first time that players from Pakistan and India are playing a cricket match in New York. Both teams came to this city in 1989 as well.

In fact, it was the first match of a series of three exhibition matches. Around 15,000 fans gathered to watch the 40-over day-nighter after a day's work.

Pakistan were led by Imran Khan and accompanied by many 'Corner Tigers' who would go on to win the 1992 World Cup. Among them were Javed Miandad, Salim Malik and Mushtaq Ahmed.

The Indian team was led by Dilip Vengsarkar and included Mohammad Azharuddin, Kapil Dev, and Sanjay Manjrekar. India's all-rounder Ravi Shastri helped organize the first match against West Indies apart from the matches against Pakistan.

Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja recalled that even though it was an exhibition game we still wanted to beat them.

Thanks to Salim's 53 runs, Pakistan scored 162 runs, but India remained victorious.

India's Robin Singh top-scored with 47 and with three balls to go, Vengsarkar scored the winning run, hitting Mushtaq for a massive six.

However, Pakistan levelled the series in Toronto, after Imran Khan's brilliant 91 not out helped them chase down 222 runs.

After that, Pakistan won the North American Cup by winning the match by four wickets thanks to Ramiz's 47 runs in Los Angeles.

The players participating in the India vs Pakistan fixtures in the US received $2,000 per player. This was the era when players were struggling to make money from the game.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had agreed to go on 'holiday' to the players going to the US but prohibited them from playing cricket.

The Indian players went to America and Canada after the worst defeat in the West Indies tour, which apparently angered the BCCI.

On their return to India, the board banned Vengsarkar, Dev, Shastri, Azharuddin, Kiran More and Arun Lal for one year while the rest were fined.

Writer R. Mohan, who wrote on cricket in India, called it 'cricket's gravest crisis'.

However, after protests, newspaper campaigns and a three-month court battle, the decision was overturned. In contrast, Pakistani players did not face any problems.

Ramiz Raja said that Imran was the king of cricket in those days. "He was the board, he was the chairman of the selectors, he was the captain, so we did not have any problem in playing with the Indian team in America."

The toss for the high-voltage T20 World Cup tie between Pakistan and India, scheduled for 7pm, has been delayed as the Green Shirts are seeking redemption after their upset to the USA in their tournament opener.

Although both countries are cricket powerhouses, head-to-head matches are rare between the nations. The two sides do not meet outside of official competitions of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the last Test match between them was in 2007.

The Rohit Sharma-led India will face Babar Azam and his men in their Group A match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York — the 34,000-capacity venue built earlier this year.

The tickets for the high-profile encounter were sold out months ago.

The Men in Green, led by skipper Babar Azam, desperately need a win against India after the shocking loss against the United States in their first match of the mega tournament.

Rohit Sharma-led India will have one foot in the Super 8 if they win against the Green Shirts since they have already defeated Ireland in their opening match.

India and Pakistan have met seven times in T20 World Cups where India won five matches while Pakistan won only one. The remaining T20I resulted in a tie with India winning via bowl out.

The only T20I Pakistan has won against India in a T20 World Cup was back in 2021 when Babar-led side played against Virat Kohli-led Men in Blue.

Left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein's career-best figures of five for 11 decimated an inept Ugandan batting line-up as the West Indies romped to a 134-run victory in a Group C match of the T20 World Cup at the Guyana National Stadium on Saturday.
Set a daunting target after the tournament co-hosts posted 173 for five batting first, the World Cup debutants looked completely out of their depth in being routed for 39 off 12 overs.
The score equalled the record of the Netherlands against Sri Lanka at the 2014 tournament for the lowest innings total in the T20 World Cup.
West Indies' second win in as many matches pulls them level at the top of the table on points with Afghanistan although the Afghans remain in first position by virtue of a better net run-rate.

The countdown to the mother of all matches, India versus Pakisstan, has begun as cricket’s fiercest rivals will today come face to face in a highly electrifying T-20 World Cup (WC) 2024 match for the first time in the United States, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Sunday.

The match, to be played at Nassau County Cricket Stadium, Long Island, New York, will start at 7:30 PM Pakistan time.

The stadium can accommodate 34,000 spectators.

Today’s encounter is a do-or-die for Pakistan which has already lost to the USA in its opening match that stunned all and sundry.

And to keep its chances of progress in the tournament alive, it must win today’s match.

Australia set a 202-run target for the defending champions England in the 17th match of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 at the Kensington Oval Barbados on Saturday.

Australia set a 202-run target for the defending champions England in the 17th match of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 at the Kensington Oval Barbados on Saturday. The openers, Travis Head and David Warner, set the platform with 70-run stand in five overs as the 2021 champions made 201 for the loss of seven wickets.

Head made 18-ball 34 while Warner scored 16-ball 39. Skipper Mitchell Marsh contributed with 25-ball 35. Glenn Maxwell made 25-ball 35 while Marcus Stoinis played a cameo 17-ball 30. Chris Jordan was the pick of the bowlers, picking 2-44. Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Liam Livingstone and Moeen Ali bagged a wicket each.

South Africa overcame an early batting collapse before sealing a four-wicket victory over bogey team the Netherlands in their T20 World Cup Group D clash in New York on Saturday.

The Netherlands posted a 103-run target for South Africa in the T20 World Cup Group D match in New York on Saturday.

South Africa won the toss and opted to bowl first. 

South Africa named an unchanged starting line-up following their opening victory over Sri Lanka.

The Netherlands also put trust in the same team that defeated Nepal earlier this week.

At the cultural crossroads of the world, New Yorkers will experience a thrilling first on Sunday -- a World Cup cricket match hosted in a US city between Asian powerhouses: rivals Pakistan and India.

"India-Pakistan is the game everyone would like to watch, and... it's happening in our backyard," said Ajith Shetty, president of two local cricket leagues.

"I'm very, very thrilled," the Indian native told AFP on Friday.

However, roughly 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the pop-up stadium at Eisenhower Park on Long Island, fans interviewed in the bustling Little India neighbourhood of Queens said they won't be able to attend the game in person.

"I asked about it, but it's so expensive. I'll watch it on my mobile," 31-year-old Rajeet Krishna said.

"Pakistan against India is special... there's a long history there," he said, with the 34,000 seats in the stadium sold out for months.

- 'Lion and tiger' -

This first Cricket World Cup hosted in the United States is in the T20 format, with games that last around three hours, as opposed to the five-day contests in the traditional test match format.

Tickets on the resale market are going for at least $800, with Indian Premier League (IPL) founder and former president Lalit Modi slamming the inflated prices.

The tournament "in the US is for game expansion & fan engagement, not a means to make profits on gate collections," he said on X.

Beyond the Indian and Pakistani communities, the face-off is eagerly anticipated by immigrants from other South Asian countries where cricket is popular.

"Like lion and tiger" is how Faros Ahmed, a 58-year-old of Bangladeshi origin, described the rivalry.

"Even if I am not Indian, not Pakistani, I am going to watch it because this is a high-voltage match," said the restaurant manager, who supports Pakistan and will broadcast the game for his customers.

- 'Like to see India lose' -

Although both countries are cricket powerhouses, head-to-head matches are rare between the nations.

The two sides do not meet outside of official competitions of the ICC, the international cricket federation, and the last test match between them was in 2007.

"We are going to take revenge, we are going to beat them," said Roop Sajnani, an Indian native who manages a sari store.

The 85-year-old recalled how his Hindu family was forced to move from what is today Pakistan into India, in the exodus that preceded partition in 1947.

Rampant Afghanistan mauled a lethargic New Zealand by 84 runs to grab top spot in Group C at the T20 World Cup with an upset win at the Guyana National Stadium on Friday.

Set a challenging 160 for victory, the Black Caps crashed to 75 all out off 15.2 overs to suffer their first defeat ever to Afghanistan in T20 International cricket.

Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz led the way for the Afghans with a top score of 80 off 56 balls (five fours, five sixes), posting 103 for the first wicket with Ibrahim Zadran (44) by the 15th over on the way to a final total of 159 for six after they were put in.

Left-arm seamer Fazalhaq Farooqi then followed his five-wicket opening match demolition of Uganda with the first three wickets of the New Zealand innings before coming back to claim a fourth to end the match and complete figures of four for 17.

Captain and champion leg-spinner Rashid Khan shared the bowling honours with an identical haul of four for 17, including opposite number Kane Williamson with the first ball of his spell to effectively end the match as a contest.