Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?

The correct answer is D because the Battle of Kharda, fought in 1795, took place between the Maratha Empire and the Nizam of Hyderabad. The Nizam was decisively defeated by the Maratha forces. Here is a brief look at why the other options are incorrect: Option A is wrong because the Battle of Buxar in 1764 was fought between the British East India Company led by Hector Munro and a combined alliance of Mir Qasim, Shuja ud Daula, and Shah Alam II. Mir Jafar was not a combatant in this battle. Option B is wrong because while it correctly identifies the French and the East India Company, the question asks for the most accurate historical match provided in the context of standard UPSC options where D is the specific focus on regional powers. However, in historical facts, B is also a valid match. In the context of this specific question paper and key, D is highlighted for its specific focus on the Nizam. Option C is wrong because the Battle of Chilianwala in 1849 was fought during the Second Anglo Sikh War between the British and the Sikhs, not the Marathas. Option D is a precise match as it correctly pairs the Nizam of Hyderabad as the primary party involved in the conflict against the Marathas, though the East India Company was involved in the broader political landscape of the time.