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India and Pakistan have provided extraordinary cricket rivalry over
the years. One can’t be sure of a result until the last ball is bowled
when these two sides are involved. With the ODI series beginning this
Xmas, let’s take a look at some intriguing moments from the past.
Sachin Tendulkar’s match-winning 98 at Centurion in 2003 World Cup:
Everyone wrote India off when Pakistan – boasting a strong bowling
line-up consisting of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Abdul
Razzaq and Saqlain Mushtaq – posted 273 for 7. However, the great India
batsman had other ideas. He took on an aggressive approach and it was
the Pakistani bowlers’ funeral that day. The little man scored 98 off 75
balls with 12 fours and a six to put India on course. Yuvraj Singh and
Rahul Dravid did the rest as India won by six wickets with 26 balls to
go.
Javed Miandad mocking Kiran More in 1992 World Cup: Miandad was
a great batsman and played several match-winning innings against India,
but him mocking More remains one of the most indelible impressions to
date. The Indian wicketkeeper kept appealing against the batsman,
hopping at the same time like a kangaroo. Miandad, who kept his cool for
a considerable period as Pakistan were in trouble for the most part of
their chase of 216, finally gave it back and amused all and one with his
histrionics. Sadly for him, Pakistan lost the match despite his valiant
40.
Javed Miandad hits Chetan Sharma for a six off the last ball:
It was the Austral-Asia Cup final on April 18, 1986 at Sharjah. India
made 245 for 7 thanks to fifties from Sunil Gavaskar, Kris Srikkanth and
Dilip Vengsarkar. Pakisan began their chase terribly but Miandad put it
back on track and they needed a boundary off the last ball to close out
the match. Sharma, who had bowled brilliantly until then, after a lot
of discussion with captain Kapil Dev decided to go for a yorker. Alas,
he failed to execute his plans properly as Miandad hit a low fulltoss
over the boundary line at deep midwicket.
Aamer Sohail’s skirmish with Venkatesh Prasad in 1996 World Cup:
In pursuit of 288 in the quarterfinal at Bangalore, Sohail and Saeed
Anwar ran amok with blistering batting. After Anwar’s departure, Sohail
continued his assault. Drama unfolded in the 15th over when he
disdainfully hit Prasad for a couple of fours to reach his fifty. He
then appeared to ridicule the Indian medium pacer showing his bat in the
direction of the boundary. A meek Prasad didn’t say anything but off
the last ball he released all the pent-up steam with a delivery that
rattled Sohail’s offstump. Prasad won the battle and India the match.
India defeat Pakistan to reach 2011 final: India went on to win
the final against Sri Lanka, and that made the semi-final all the more
memorable. Also the match happened amid a backdrop of political tensions
between the countries with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and
India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh present in the audience extending
goodwill to each other. In such a charged atmosphere in Mohali, India
made 260 thanks to Sachin Tendulakr’s 85, an innings during which he got
several reprieves. In their chase the visitors came off badly and lost
by 29 runs.
Saeed Anwar’s 194 at Chennai in 1997: The left-hander was in
imperious form that day. During his innings he went past Gary Kirsten’s
188 to set a new world record for individual score in 0DIs. Anwar played
146 balls and hit 22 boundaries and five sixes. India lost the match
despite Rahul Dravid’s valiant ton.
Aaqib Javed’s controversial hat-trick in Sharjah: The swing
bowler ran through the Indian batting with figures of 7 for 37. Javed’s
hat-trick included the scalps of Ravi Shashtri, Mohd Azharuddin and
Sachin Tendulkar as India, in pursuit of 263, lost the Wills Trophy
final by 72 runs. Replays showed Javed was lucky to have got some of
those decisions in his favour. 19 at that time, he remains the youngest
player to have taken an ODI hat-trick.
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