When an Indian or a Pakistani cricket fan scans through a World Cup schedule they search for one game: India v Pakistan. The dates are earmarked months before the start of the event. If the match is happening somewhere near, a run to the stadium is made in search of tickets. Bunking school or office on the D-day is not ruled out of question. In small towns across India streets turn empty. In big cities the pubs are jam-packed.
Each and every India-Pakistan game is a nerve jangling affair for the players and the fans. And when the scene shifts to the World Cup cauldron, the intensity often overpowers the quest for the championship win. The World Cup can be conceded, but a loss against Pakistan on cricket's biggest stage is devastating.
Both the teams have clashed four times on the World Cup stage with India having an upperhand. But India-Pakistan encounter goes a step beyond the win-loss and the stats column. All the four matches have a story to tell, a squabble to report or a run-in to write about. MSN India rewinds to those games and relives all the tension and the drama.
Date: March 4
Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground
Margin: India won by 43 runs
Years down the line, India's 43-run win in Sydney became inconsequential in front of the drama which happened in the match. Pakistan's Javed Miandad, who wouldn't take a step back in any contest and Indian wicket-keeper Kiran More, who just couldn't resist needling the Pakistan batsman, served up a moment which the purists would disapprove of, but the fans from both the countries would relish and recall generations ahead.
A flustered Miandad stopped Sachin Tendulkar in his run-up and turned around to tackle the chatterbox More. Miandad turned towards umpire David Shepherd and lodged his complaint with More vociferously pleading his case from behind. What followed this ruckus was to be etched in the history of India-Pakistan cricket. Miandad performed a vigorous frog-leap which would have put the croaking contingent to shame.
India though had the last laugh in the match as Pakistan folded 173 runs in reply to India's 216, which was mostly because of Sachin's attacking 54 and an even more aggressive 26-ball-34 from Indian all-rounder Kapil Dev. The Indian bowling attack led by three pacers, Kapil, Manoj Prabhakar and Javagal Srinath rallied to hold Pakistan much before the finishing line.
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