India’s World Cup stranglehold on Pakistan

The ‘mother of all games’ is an oft-used expression for Indo-Pak World Cup matches. The games are nerve-racking for the players and the billions across both sides of the Wagah border. The rivalry in fact transcends these boundaries, and simply put there is no bigger sporting occasion; the stakes are never higher.

But the reality is that the Indians have made a mockery of this traditionally high-octane clash by winning all five times the two sides have clashed in the World Cup.

Over the years, some of the boys in blue became men overnight after some memorable performances — shackling some star-studded and richly-experienced Pakistan outfits.

Sydney 1992 Group game (India win by 43 runs)

Both India and Pakistan had made slow starts to their respective campaigns in the 1992 World Cup, the first one to be staged in Australia and New Zealand.

In overcast conditions, Muhammad Azharuddin opted to bat first. Wasim Akram and Aaqib Javed strangled the openers and for a large part of their innings, the Indians failed to get past the four-run-an-over mark. But then an unfazed 18-year-old, a certain Sachin Tendulkar, came on and played some incredible shots during his unbeaten 54 off 62 balls, caring little about the reputation Pakistan’s bowlers commanded.

A score of 216 in 49 overs was by no means impossible for an experienced Pakistan middle-order. Sohail, with 62, and Miandad guided the innings but a middle and lower order collapse to a mixture of sharp fielding, atrocious running and poor shot selection meant that Pakistan fell considerably short of a score they should have chased down.

Bangalore 1996 Quarter-Final (India win by 39 runs)

Moments before the start of play on an incredibly tense afternoon, Pakistan captain Akram pulled out of the game to a supposed ‘rib injury’. Aamir Sohail’s first outing as captain simply could not have been more demanding.

Once again Azharuddin won the toss. Spurred by Navjot Sidhu’s 93, 26-year-old Ajay Jadeja smashed to smithereens Waqar Younis’ reputation of being the best death over bowler. A 25-ball 45 took India to a monumental total of 287.

Sohail and Saeed Anwar got off to an 84-run opening partnership — pin-drop silence took over Bangalore’s Chinnaswamy Stadium. But then Anwar fell to Srinath, Sohail’s temperament got the better of him and the demanding asking rate proved too much for the likes of Inzamam, Ijaz, Miandad and Saleem. Chinnaswamy, and the rest of India, celebrated long into the night.

Manchester 1999 Super-Sixes (India win by 47 runs)

Azharuddin made it three out of three with the toss of the coin and again elected to bat. A menacing Shoaib Akhtar, a wily Saqlain Mushtaq and the wizard Akram kept the Indians in check as they could only manage 227 on a sluggish wicket.

But the vulnerable Pakistan batting line-up flattered to deceive once more. Prasad’s seam and swing, coupled with his canny change of pace, proved an insurmountable task. Inzamam’s painstaking 41 off 93 balls summed up the cluttered mindset of the batsmen. In the end, Pakistan eventually fell 47 runs short.

Centurion 2003 Group stage (India win by 6 wickets)

For the first time, Pakistan batted first in a World Cup clash against the arch-rivals. Anwar, well past his best, played some languid shots to revive memories of his pomp during a fine 101-run innings. A score of 273 was certainly a handful, especially when defended by a world-class attack. But once again, Tendulkar took it upon himself to counter the threat of Akram, Waqar and Akhtar.

His 98 off 75 balls was out of the top drawer and brought incredible joy to his countrymen and the neutrals. Pakistani fans though felt their heart sink in further in their chest every time the maestro uncoiled his wrists to steer the ball to the fence with enviable ease. In the end, it was almost a no-competition as India won comfortably by six wickets.

Mohali 2011 Semi-Final (India win by 29 runs)

The Mohali showdown four years ago was the closest Pakistan came to downing India in a World Cup game. But, as always, poor shot selection and an inefficient game plan came to the fore in the closing stages. Wahab Riaz, preferred over a seething Akhtar, bowled with sustained hostility to claim five wickets.

Butter-fingered Pakistan fielders allowed Tendulkar no less than four let-offs and a mind-boggling DRS gaffe also helped prolong the batsman’s stay at the wicket.

Pakistan’s chase was derailed with the loss of wickets at regular intervals. Seasoned campaigners Muhammad Hafeez, Younus Khan, Shahid Afridi and Misbahul Haq looked more like rabbits caught in the headlights as the Indians first tightened the noose and then suffocated the life out of the chase.

Four years on, India’s hegemony over Pakistan has gained even more credence with wins in the Champions Trophy and the 2012 and 2014 editions of the World T20.

Adelaide provides another opportunity of a shot at redemption — Afridi’s two sixes against Ravichandran Ashwin at Mirpur in the Asia Cup thriller last year is not yet a distant memory. The nation hopes against hope.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14^th, 2015.

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