When India take on Pakistan in their T20 World Cup clash in Colombo on February 15, the date will carry a quiet sense of déjà vu. Eleven years ago, on the very same day, the two rivals met in an ODI World Cup game at the Adelaide Oval – a contest that produced one of Virat Kohli’s most significant early statements on the global stage. The format on Sunday will be shorter, the venue different, and the squads largely reshaped by time. But February 15 remains a marker in the history of this rivalry. Back in 2015, India, batting first, posted 300/7 – a total built around Kohli’s composed and authoritative 107. It was an innings that blended control with intensity, setting the tone for India’s campaign. It was also the first time an Indian batter had scored a hundred in a World Cup game against Pakistan. “Probably one of the biggest in my career so far. Amazing way to begin our World Cup. Big game against Pakistan, amazing fight from them,” Kohli had said after the match. “I just look to stand up to them because I hate to lose and play passionately. I like the expectations.” Kohli’s partnership with Shikhar Dhawan (73 off 76 balls) steadied India after early pressure, and Suresh Raina’s late surge (74 off 56 balls) ensured the total touched the 300 mark – a score that, in World Cup history between the sides, carried enormous psychological weight. GALLERY | INDIA VS PAKISTAN 2015 ODI WORLD CUP, VIRAT KOHLI’S CENTURY ADELAIDE MS Dhoni, leading the side then, emphasised the importance of building that platform. “It was a very good performance. I was very happy with our batting. When you are batting first, it is not easy over here. It doesn’t come on that nicely. It has a bit of a variable pace initially. It was important we stayed in the middle. The big partnership between Virat and Shikhar. And then Raina capitalised as well.” The atmosphere in Adelaide was electric, with fans filling hotels and stands days before the contest. Asked how he managed emotions in such moments, Dhoni offered a glimpse into his famously restrained demeanour: “I don’t control my emotions. They are there. Just that I don’t like to be over-expressive.”Story continues below this ad Pakistan, under Misbah-ul-Haq, conceded that key moments had slipped away. “They played really well. They posted a big total, and bowled really well. We lost our way with three wickets in the middle,” Misbah reflected. “With the quality of their batting, 300 was a pretty good effort… Now we have to just look forward.” India won that match by 76 runs, extending their unbeaten World Cup record against Pakistan to 6-0, a statistic that would continue to loom over future encounters. As the teams gather in Colombo for a T20 World Cup fixture on the same date, the tempo will be quicker and margins thinner. Yet the essence remains unchanged: expectation, pressure, and the weight of history. February 15 has already delivered one defining India–Pakistan chapter. Whether Colombo adds another will unfold over 40 overs – but the echoes of Adelaide may not be far away.
February 15 again: When Virat Kohli became India’s first World Cup centurion vs Pakistan in 2015
