Rohit Sharma Revisits India's Iconic 2022 T20 World Cup Win Over Pakistan At MCG, Says 'I Felt Helpless'

Former Indian captain Rohit Sharma reminisced about the thrilling India-Pakistan rivalry in the T20 World Cup, describing the inaugural final as his favourite T20 World Cup fixture against the Asian rivals, stating, ‘Nothing can beat that.’

This iconic victory marked India's maiden T20 World Cup title, making it an unforgettable moment in cricket history.

Rohit’s journey in the India-Pakistan T20 World Cup rivalry is a testament to India's growth in the T20 format. Until the 2026 fixture, Rohit had played in every India-Pakistan contest, leading India in high-pressure matches in 2022 and 2024.

“My favourite T20 World Cup match against Pakistan was definitely the final we played, nothing can beat that. We went on to win the World Cup,” Rohit was quoted as saying by the ICC.

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India and Pakistan faced eachother twice in the first T20 World Cup in 2007. Before the final, a league match concluded in a tie and was determined by the tournament's first bowl-out.

"In that same year (2007), we also played a league game against Pakistan, which was the only match in the tournament decided by a bowl-out, and we came out on top there as well. So in 2007, both World Cup games were special," Rohit recalled.

Another chapter of the India vs Pakistan rivalry unfolded at the Melbourne Cricket Ground during the 2022 T20 World Cup. After being removed early, Rohit watched anxiously from the sidelines as his team staged a compelling comeback to clinch a historic triumph.

"Yeah, I was in the dressing room. Then I came out, but I got nervous and went back inside. When games are this tight, especially when you're off the field and know you can't do anything, it just takes that sense of control away from you, and I felt helpless. You actually do feel helpless watching the game unfold when you can't do anything about it," said Rohit.

Chasing 160, India faced a tricky task as they were reduced to 31/4, but an outstanding innings by “chasemaster” Virat Kohli led them to a remarkable win.

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"Kohli played a blinder there. That was again very, very special to watch because we were in no position to win that game, especially after how we started."But the way we finished was magnificent. It has to be one of the greatest cricket games we've ever played, because of the occasion. It was a World Cup game, an important one for us to win, and to come back from that situation made it even more special," the 2024 T20 World Cup-winning skipper said.