Published: Feb 14, 2015, 07:33 AM (IST)
Edited: Feb 14, 2015, 09:12 PM (IST)
As India and Pakistan gear up for their opening encounter at the ICC World Cup 2015, Nishad Pai Vaidya picks 11 unforgettable moments from their past contests on the big stage. From JavedMiandad’s jumps to Sachin Tendulkar’s assault, this list has all the moments that symbolise the rivalry between the two sides.
1. Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar attack the Pakistan bowlers— 1992 World Cup
It was almost as if two generations had come together to help India in their first ever World Cup game against Pakistan. The 1992 World Cup was a forgettable one for India. Pakistan though, turned it around to go on to win it. In this game though, India went home with the bragging rights. India were setting a total and were in a bit of trouble at 148 for five. That is when Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev got together and played some counterattacking cricket. Kapil’s 35 off 26 balls injected life into the Indian innings. Tendulkar stayed through to the end for an unbeaten 54. Their partnership helped take India to a respectable 216 for seven. India then went on to win the game.
2. Javed Miandad mocks Kiran More — 1992 World Cup
During Pakistan’s run-chase of 217 against India in the 1992 World Cup, Javed Miandad and Aamir Sohail were constructing a solid partnership. However Miandad, had a lapse in concentration when he was annoyed by Indian stumper Kiran More’s appeal. Both the players exchanged words after which they seemed to have gone along with their business. Not Miandad! After being denied a single, Miandad jumped up and down with his bat trying to replicate, or perhaps exaggerate More’s appeal. It was a heated moment, but got a smile on the faces of the fans.
3. Wasim Akram pulls out of the quarter-final against India — 1996 World Cup
Wasim Akram was a talismanic player who could win matches on his own. Nearly four years after leading Pakistan to victory at the 1992 World Cup, he was seen as the villain of their defeat against India in the quarter-final. This despite the fact that he did not play.Akram was captaining Pakistan in the tournament and had suffered an injury. In their last league game against New Zealand, he did not bowl. And, he pulled out of the all-important quarter-final against India at Bangalore citing injury. When Pakistan were beaten, Akram bore the brunt of the people’s fury. On return home, he had to face a stormy press conference, where his integrity was questioned. There were other unsubstantiated allegations as well. Perhaps, it was all because Pakistan had lost to their arch-rivals in the quarter-finals.
4. Ajay Jadeja lays into Waqar Younis—1996 World Cup
With his partner-in-crime out of the game, the onus fell on Waqar Younis to lead the bowling attack against India in the quarter-final against India. However, his spell went awry at the death as Ajay Jadeja took him apart. What could have been a 250-260 score, became 287, thanks to Jadeja’s 25-ball 45. The way Jadeja laid into Waqar is etched in memory. One of the best fast bowlers in the world was nonchalantly hit all over the park. When he tried to fire in a yorker, Jadeja went deep in his crease and lofted it over mid-wicket. He pitched it a bit back of a length, he was cut behind point. And, there was one that was swatted down the ground for a six. Waqar’s last two overs cost him a total of 40 runs. Until then, he had bowled eight overs for only 27 runs.
5. Venkatesh Prasad cleans up Aamir Sohail— 1996 World Cup
While Jadeja’s innings was explosive in the real sense, sparks flew during the Pakistan run-chase. Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar got off to a rollicking start. Sohail, who had taken over the mantle of captaincy for the game, was in great form. Sohail smashed a four through the covers off Prasad and had a few words with him, pointing in the direction of the area he hit the ball. Having lost his concentration in the heat of the moment, Sohail made room and attempted an ugly hoick over mid-wicket, only to find his off-stump take a cartwheel. Prasad big him good bye with a few words of his own! Bangalore came a live! Until then Pakistan had scored 113 at over seven an over and were cruising. They then kept losing wickets at regular intervals and lost the game by 39 runs.
6. Venkatesh Prasad’s five-for —1999 World Cup
This game was played amidst the rising tensions between the two countries, with the Kargil conflict at its height. Far away in Manchester, India and Pakistan faced off in a Super Six encounter. Pakistan were the in-form team in the tournament, while India were struggling to stay alive. India managed a par score of 227 with Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Azharuddin making fifties. Chasing that shouldn’t have been a problem, but Prasad came back to haunt Pakistan. While Javagal Srinath delivered the first two breakthroughs, Prasad ran through the rest of the side in an inspired spell of fast bowling. His five for 27 helped India win the game by 47 runs.
7. Saeed Anwar crack century — 2003 World Cup
Saeed Anwar had always reserved his best for India and when the two sides met after a gap of nearly three years, he turned it on again. This time, he was a more mellow figure, having grown the beard and walked the religious route following the sad death of his young daughter. Anwar wasn’t at his dominating best, but played with control and good temperament. He rallied Pakistan with his innings of 101 off 126 balls. It was an innings that held Pakistan together as they piled 273 on the board. This innings is forgotten thanks to the Tendulkar assault that followed.
8. Sachin Tendulkar destroys Shoaib Akhtar enroute to his 98 — 2003 World Cup
Tendulkar was in a different mood for this game. As he walked out to open the batting when India were set 274 to win, he asked Virender Sehwag to stand at the non-striker’s end. Wasim Akram was welcomed with a delightful square-drive for a four. But, in the next over, he took on ShoaibAkhtar. The paceman pitched it short and wide. Up on his toes, Tendulkar cut it over point and into the stands. That picture has become iconic in the annals of history. Tendulkar was not done there as he flicked the next ball through square-leg for four and then pushed the last ball through mid-on for another. India had raced to a good start. Tendulkar went on to play more great shots as he smashed 98 off 75 balls. India won handsomely by six wickets.
9. Sachin Tendulkar lives a charmed life — 2011 World Cup
Although Tendulkar was awarded the Man of the Match Award for his innings of 85 in the 2011 World Cup semi-final, he wouldn’t count it amongst his best efforts. He survived a leg-before, which was reversed on review, and a stumping attempt. Not only that, but Pakistan dropped him four times during the innings, until ShahidAfridi took one successfully. A commentator famously said, Tendulkar “was a cat with nine lives.” Tendulkar had started the innings on a fluent note. However, in the 11th over, SaeedAjmal broke his momentum. He hit him on the pads and it looked quite adjacent. The umpire declared him out but Tendulkar referred it. Hawk Eye showed that the ball would have missed the leg-stump by a whisker. Tendulkar stayed and off the next ball, he very was nearly stumped as Kamran Akmal took the bails off in a flash. Had Pakistan been a bit lucky then, things could have been different.
10.Wahab Riaz nails Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh off consecutive deliveries — 2011 World Cup
India were cruising in the semi-final, despite the Tendulkar hiccups along the way. At 141 for two in the 26th over, things looked good. In came WahabRiaz, who got one to move away from ViratKohli. The young batsman was in two minds whether to drive or block it. The ball took a thick edge and went to point. Yuvraj Singh, the man in form, walked out to bat in front of his home crowd. A lot was expected of him. But Wahab surprised him with a fast delivery that swung in precociously and hit the stumps on the full. India were now at a jittery 142 for four. Wahab had earlier dismissed Virender Sehwag and then went on to get MS Dhoni and Zaheer Khan to finish with five for 46. India were limited to 260, but Pakistan could not chase it down. Wahab’s efforts were in vain.
11. Misbah-ul-Haq’s slow innings in a high pressure run-chase — 2011 World Cup
Misbah-ul-Haq is an ever dependable player, who can bat through the innings. However, he got it all wrong in the semi-final against India in 2011. With Pakistan losing wickets at regular intervals, Misbah inexplicably kept blocking. In the process of playing out the tough situation, he brought pressure upon himself and his team. Although he started hitting it around towards the end, to complete his fifty, it was too little too late. India had managed to strangle Pakistan in that game, or perhaps Misbah too contributed to it.
(Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Correspondent with CricketCountry and anchor for the site’s YouTube Channel. His Twitter handle is @nishad_45)
