#2 The numbers outside of Sharjah
In 1987, Pakistan toured India and played 6 one-day Internationals winning the series 5-1.
In 1998-90, India toured Pakistan with Krishnamachari Srikkanth as captain, losing the ODI series 0-2. This was the debut series for Sachin Tendulkar and Waqar Younis.
India toured Pakistan in 1997. Pakistan won the ODI series 2-1.
On June 3, 2000, Pakistan beat India in the Asia Cup ODI in Dhaka.
In the Carlton and United triangular series in Australia in the year 2000, Pakistan beat India thrice in four encounters.
Pakistan, it seemed, had the edge outside Sharjah as well from 1986 to 2000.
Cricket is indeed a strange game with the ICC World Cup statistics during the same period painting a totally different picture.
World Cup stats during the same period
In the 1992 World Cup, India beat eventual winners Pakistan in a group match.
In the 1996 World Cup, India beat Pakistan in Bangalore.
In the 1999 World Cup, India beat Pakistan at Manchester by 47 runs.
The statistics are intriguing, leaving the keenest of observers confounded and not leading to any definitive conclusion.
So, were the matches in Sharjah fixed? Or were they genuine results of clean cricket?
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