A partially packed Edgbaston awaited another thrilling India-Pakistan clash, this time featuring the champions of both nations. Pakistan’s skipper, Younis Khan, won the toss and elected to bat first. However, the decision quickly backfired as their star opener, Sharjeel Khan, was dismissed in the second over by Anureet Singh.
The top order struggled to build solid partnerships, with Sohaib Maqsood and Kamran Akmal both departing within the first 10 overs. The pressure mounted further when Khan was dismissed by Irfan Pathan, evoking memories of the iconic India-Pakistan 2006 Test match where Pathan had taken his wicket in a similar fashion.
On the third delivery of the 12th over, Pathan unleashed a beautifully pitched fuller-length ball aimed at the 46-year-old veteran. The ball landed squarely on the middle stump, seaming sharply at the last moment. Khan, leaning forward for a leg-side drive, misjudged Pathan’s craft entirely.
As the ball pitched, it came inward and crashed into the middle stump. A disheartened Younis trudged back to the pavilion while jubilant Indian players celebrated the crucial breakthrough.
Irfan Pathan aggression after takes wicket of Younis Khan 🥵🔥😈#IndvsPakWCL2024 #irfanpathan #INDvsPAK #LegendsWorldCup pic.twitter.com/inv6DeGryF
— Cricket fan girl (@BanglaBissho) July 13, 2024
Irfan Pathan. Inswinger. Younis Khan.
— FanCode (@FanCode) July 13, 2024
Even 18 years later, the result remains the same☝🏽@IrfanPathan | #IndvPakonFanCode pic.twitter.com/VSWLRhfBUO
The wicket stirred a sense of nostalgia, echoing Pathan’s famous hat-trick dismissal of Younis in the Karachi Test. In that historic match, too, Pathan’s delivery had swung back full, catching Younis off guard as it struck his pads plumb in front of the stumps. Twitter users, fresh with memories, revisited and celebrated this momentous dismissal on social media.