From Virat Kohli’s master chase to MS Dhoni’s triumphant captaincy display: India's moments of glory at T20 World Cup - Part 1

In three days from now, Team India will be kickstarting their T20 World Cup campaign against Pakistan in what promises to be a cracker of a contest at Melbourne. No matter the history, whenever these two forces collide, it is all new, all set to start from the very scratch.

As the countdown gets a lot more intense, we bring back a few T20 World Cup memories that have been etched in the brightest of liveries in the hearts of every Indian cricket fan. Not always do you get to witness such rampage, such precision and absolutely unparalleled wit. Here is the first part of a collection of three moments from India’s glorious T20 World Cup antiquity ahead of the upcoming madness at Melbourne on Sunday.

·      Virat Kohli’s master chase against Australia in 2016

Known as one of the finest chasers on the cricketing block, Virat Kohli’s chasing skills were put to test in 2016 when India dangled barely by the skin of their teeth. In a must-win match against Australia at Mohali, India were chasing a mammoth 161 on a surface where the cherry brewed some insoluble tricks of its own. Virat came out to bat after India lost Dhawan early in the innings. Rohit couldn’t help either as he fell short too. The Indian vice-captain back then took his time and weathered the early storm as he waited for support at the other end. Even though the numbers weren’t significant, a desperate lunge from Yuvraj Singh and signature calm from MS Dhoni allowed Kohli to set up a perfect finale. With 38 required off the final 3 overs, Virat Kohli welcomed James Faulkner with a cracker through the deep square leg fence and followed it up with a glide through the deep point region. After being battered around for the first couple of balls, the Australian quick once again tested Virat with a shortie and this time the Indian run-machine chipped it over the wide long-off fence. The next man to face Kohli’s heat was Nathan Coulter-Nile who was taken out for three consecutive boundaries as India was suddenly on the charge from being on the backfoot even an over back. Even though the winning runs were struck by Dhoni, it was another Kohli special that got the job done for Team India and in one of the most crunch of situations where it never looked like India will be advancing to the semis.

·      Sreesanth drives a dagger through the Australian ambitions in 2007

Not just once but India came back twice in the second semi-final of which Yuvraj and Sreesanth were two towering heroes leaving the mighty Australians baffled and pained. After Yuvraj’s 30-ball-70 propelled India to a momentous 188, the 'Roos had two of the finest openers in the world taking a stand for them. They were off to a fiery start with Adam Gilchrist dictating the narrative with 12-ball-22. As India desperately scrambled for an opening breakthrough, Dhoni chose Sreesanth to do him the honours and the Indian quick came out with flying colours, barreling through the defences of Gilly to leave his timbre in smoke. Not only did he bag the all-important Australian opener but his tight spell didn’t allow the Men in Yellow to carry on with their early momentum. With Symonds and Hayden running riot at one point in time, Dhoni resorted to Sreesanth again and it was the 14th over where he was asked to put in the last stopper in death. After being smacked for a boundary on the second ball, he gave it back with interest to the Australians as he shuffled his angle and bombed a toe-crushing picture-perfect yorker that decimated the off-stump, finding its way past an ambitiously blindered Matthew Hayden. The Kerala speedster finished with figures of 4-1-12-2, a spell that left Australia reeling and eventually out of the tournament.

·      Captain Cool pulls off the unthinkable in 2016

With 2 needed off 3 balls, even the bravest of Indian fans would have not expected the Men in Blue to seal a win against Bangladesh in a do-or-die match in Namma Bengaluru. Bowling that final over, Hardik Pandya got it all messed up and India was staring at a bleak exit from the tournament and that too on their own turf. With almost all hopes lost and Mushfiqur Rahman pumping his fists, knowing that he has brought Bangladesh home, Hardik pulled off a slower and shorter delivery that caught the Bangladeshi keeper off-guard in his attempt to slice it hard down the leg side. All he could muster was pushing the ball as far as Dhawan at deep midwicket. It was Mahmudullah who was next in line with an opportunity of finishing the contest. Once again, being over-ambitious, he swung hard at Hardik Pandya and this time it was Ravindra Jadeja who grabbed a blinder to bring down the equation to 2 of 1. Before Pandya bowled the final ball, Dhoni took off one of his gloves and braving the fear of pace, he stood slightly ahead of his natural position to exploit even the slightest of advantages if given. Fortune, they say, favours the brave and Hom failed to connect with the last ball. Despite running hard to at least eke out a tie, Mustafizur Rahman couldn’t make his ground and the Indian captain had already dislodged the bails with a theatrical flourish, setting up another important round of contest with Australia at Mohali.