A legendary Virat Kohli knock has lifted India to an extraordinary last-ball win over arch-rivals Pakistan in a chaotic Twenty20 World Cup classic at the MCG.
In another epic chapter in one of world sport's biggest rivalries, Kohli's "impossible" unbeaten 82 helped India from 4-31 to pass Pakistan's 8-159 and secure an unforgettable four-wicket win on Sunday.
Needing 16 runs off the final over, India allrounder Ravi Ashwin hit the ball over cover with the scores tied to secure the winning run and send the majority of the 90,293 fans into pandemonium.
The final six balls of the match from Pakistan spinner Mohammad Nawaz produced an extraordinary array of twists and turns, including no-balls, byes, wides and a stumping.
Nawaz was controversially called for a no-ball off the fourth delivery of the over from a full toss, which Kohli smashed for six, leaving Pakistan captain Babar Azam pleading his case to the umpires.
Kohli and Hardik Pandya put on a 113-run partnership before the latter was dismissed on the first ball of the last over.
Wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik made just one before he was out off the second last ball, bringing Ashwin to the crease.
Kohli and Pandya came to the rescue after India collapsed early in their chase, with fiery Pakistani quick Haris Rauf ripping through the top-order.
One of the finest batters of his generation, the 33-year-old started his innings slowly, but exploded after the 10th over when India were 4-45.
"I have no idea how that happened," Kohli said.
"Hardik kept telling me just believe, believe you can do it and stay until the end.
"I was kind of pumping myself up to hit two sixes when we needed 28 off eight (balls), and that became 16 off six.
"I think I will count this one higher (than any other T20 innings) because of the magnitude of the game and what the situation was - it seemed impossible."
Rauf, who plays for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League, used his MCG experience to his advantage to power Pakistan into a position of dominance.
He claimed the crucial wicket of captain Rohit Sharma and backed it up in his next over by dismissing Suryakumar Yadav to have India reeling.
After 12 straight defeats to India in World Cups, Pakistan looked to have turned the tables on their nemesis and appeared set to back up a thumping 10-wicket win in the UAE last year.
Young left-arm India quick Arshdeep Singh removed Pakistani captain Babar Azam with his first ball in a World Cup.
The 23-year-old's explosive opening spell, in which he also claimed Mohammad Rizwan, set the tone for the innings as Singh finished with 3-32.
Pakistan received a boost through Iftikhar Ahmed and Shan Masood as the pair added 76 for the third wicket.
Ahmed started boosting the run-rate in the 12th over, blasting spinner Axar Patel for three monster sixes in four balls.
But Sharma recalled Mohammed Shami to the attack in the following over and the veteran quick dismissed Ahmed for 51 to have Pakistan 3-91.
Masood played the important anchor role, compiling an unbeaten 52 to give Pakistan a chance of defending their total.
Heavy rain predicted for Melbourne that threatened to derail the match never eventuated in a boost for all involved.
The crowd figure was one of the biggest for a cricket game in Australia, falling narrowly short of the 93,013 that attended the 2015 ODI World Cup final.
