The Third Battle of Panipat (14 January 1761) was fought between the Marathas and:

The Third Battle of Panipat was fought on 14 January 1761 between the Marathas and the Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Abdali (also called Ahmad Shah Durrani).

About Ahmad Shah Abdali:

• He was the founder of the Durrani empire of Afghanistan (1747).
• He had been a commander in the army of Nadir Shah, and became ruler of Afghanistan after Nadir Shah's death.
• He invaded India several times between 1748 and 1767.

Background of the battle:

• The Marathas had expanded into north India, reaching as far as Punjab and Attock by 1758.
• This brought them into conflict with Abdali, who claimed Punjab.
• The Rohilla Afghans, under Najib-ud-Daula, and the Nawab of Awadh, Shuja-ud-Daula, joined Abdali.
• The Marathas did not get the support of the Rajputs, Jats or Sikhs, whom they had alienated.

The battle:

• The Maratha army was led by Sadashivrao Bhau, the cousin of the Peshwa, and Vishwasrao, the Peshwa's son.
• The Marathas had a strong artillery force under Ibrahim Khan Gardi.
• After a long siege in which the Maratha camp ran short of food, they attacked.
• The battle was one of the bloodiest of the 18th century.
• The Marathas were badly defeated; Vishwasrao and Sadashivrao Bhau were killed, along with tens of thousands of soldiers and camp followers.

Results:

• The Peshwa, Balaji Baji Rao, died soon after, reportedly in grief.
• Maratha power in the north was weakened for about a decade.
• Abdali did not stay in India, because of unrest in his own army and the Sikh rebellions.
• The battle weakened both the Marathas and the Mughals, and helped the rise of British power in India.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Nadir Shah invaded India in 1739.
• ✗Mir Qasim and Hyder Ali fought the British.