Epic Cricket Rivalry
Pakistan’s speed demon, Shoaib Akhtar, recently sent out a tweet with a photo of himself, boldly stating, “History shall repeat itself tomorrow” before the ODI World Cup clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, set to ignite Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.
The Birth of a Rivalry: India vs. Pakistan in Cricket
From 1952 to 2023: A Journey Through Cricket History
This showdown marks the first meeting of these cricket titans since the intense Asia Cup 2023 Super Four face-off, where India convincingly overcame Pakistan by a whopping 228 runs. The rivalry between these neighbouring nations kicked off in 1952, when Abdul Kardar led Pakistan onto Indian soil for a five-match Test series. However, their epic World Cup duels only began in 1992.
Unforgettable World Cup Encounters
Iconic Matches That Define the Cricketing Rivalry
In that memorable encounter at the fabled Sydney Cricket Ground, India faced Pakistan and emerged victorious by a 43-run margin. The 19-year-old maestro, Sachin Tendulkar, showcased his brilliance with a quickfire 54 off 62 balls, foreshadowing a future filled with more spectacular innings against Pakistan on the grandest of stages.
India posted a total of 216 for 7, with Kapil Dev, J Srinath, and Manoj Prabhakar bagging two wickets each. But it was the indomitable Javed Miandad who stole the limelight, mimicking Indian wicketkeeper Kiran More with his animated jumps.
Fast forward four years, and Pakistan started the quarterfinals in Bengaluru on shaky ground, missing the services of the injured Wasim Akram, a situation that would later give rise to serious allegations. After Navjot Singh Sidhu’s sublime 93, India gathered momentum through Ajay Jadeja’s fiery assault against Waqar Younis, ultimately posting 287 for 8.
The turning point of the match came courtesy of Pacer Venkatesh Prasad. Aamir Sohail smashed a boundary through the covers and taunted Prasad, signalling his intent for more punishment. But in a thrilling twist of fate, Prasad clean bowled Sohail on the very next ball, delivering a fiery send-off. From that juncture, Pakistan struggled and could only muster 248 for 9.
In hindsight, a curious journalist once inquired about Prasad’s words to Sohail on that heated evening. With a hearty chuckle, Prasad cheekily replied, “You can’t print that.”
It was very intimidating during the Kargil war when both teams were playing a match in Manchester in 1999, emotions were quite overwhelming. Both Indian and Pakistani fans craved nothing less than victory, but the players remained impervious to the fervent nationalistic sentiments, resulting in a relatively uneventful game.
Fifties by Rahul Dravid and Mohammed Azharuddin steered India to 227 for 6, and once again, Venkatesh Prasad emerged as the star performer for India. Prasad’s figures of 5 for 27 dismantled the Pakistan innings, which eventually folded at 180 in 45.3 overs, without a single half-century to their name.
By the time the 2003 World Cup arrived, Sachin Tendulkar’s genius was in full bloom. He had made little impact in the 1996 and 1999 editions, but at Centurion, he unleashed his prowess against the Pakistan pace trio of Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, and Younis. Tendulkar’s upper cut off Akhtar, soaring for a six over third man, remains etched in memory.
Tendulkar could have been dismissed at 32, but Abdul Razzaq was woefully out of position to grab a catch offered by the master batsman. This prompted Akram to ask Razzaq, “Tujhe pata hein kiska catch choda hein” (Do you know whose catch you dropped?).
While Saeed Anwar’s exquisite 101 powered Pakistan to 273 for 7, Tendulkar’s 98 off 75 balls comfortably overshadowed it. Yuvraj Singh also contributed with an unbeaten 50, sealing India’s six-wicket triumph.
The arch-rivals didn’t meet in the 2007 World Cup, exiting during the league stage. However, the stakes soared in 2011 when India faced Pakistan in the semifinals in Mohali. Tendulkar, the eternal maestro, played a gritty innings in his last World Cup appearance, scoring 85 runs despite being dropped four times.
India managed 260 for 9, and their bowlers, including Yuvraj Singh with his peach of a delivery, dismantled Pakistan for 231.
As the new decade dawned, India’s cricketing dominance reached new heights with stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, along with a formidable pace bowling attack, a stronghold once held by their arch-rivals.
In the 2015 World Cup, Pakistan encountered the ‘new’ India, as Kohli’s masterful 107 and fifties by Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina propelled the Men in Blue to 300 for 7. Pacer Shami’s four-wicket haul left Pakistan tottering at 224.
In 2019, Pakistan faced a relentless Rohit Sharma, who unleashed his fury with a scintillating 113-ball 140. The Green Brigade also bore the brunt of Kohli’s 77 and KL Rahul’s 57. Rohit had a particular liking for pacer Hasan Ali, who had drawn sharp criticism for his exuberant celebrations near the Wagah border.
The intensity of this rivalry, deeply ingrained in history, culture, geopolitics, occasional camaraderie, and the underlying tension, will once again take center stage in Ahmedabad this Saturday.