A look back at the electrifying India-Pakistan match from the 1996 World Cup

Sachin and Kambli lead the celebrations for India

When India and Pakistan face off against each other, the frenzy and excitement amongst fans of both sides reach unheard-of heights. And when the contest is in a World Cup, the buzz is even more electrifying; most of these matches have been very tensely fought, with a lot of passion from all players involved.

However, amongst the all the matches these two bitter rivals have played, some leave more of an indelible mark on our memory – like the India-Pakistan encounter from 19996 World Cup.

The backdrop: India hadn’t won an ODI against Pakistan since the 1992 World Cup

Pakistan were superior to India in the early 1990s and dominated them in ODI cricket. India had failed to win a single ODI against Pakistan since their World Cup win in 1992. Also, India hadn’t won a home ODI against Pakistan since 1987. Clearly, the odds were against India winning the encounter.

Pakistan were coming off a title run in the previous World Cup, held in Australia. So there was the added incentive for India to knock out the defending champions and their arch rivals from the tournament when the two sides met at the quarterfinals stage.

Navjot Singh Sidhu lays a solid foundation for India

Sidhu’s knock of 93 earned him the Man of the Match award

Navjot Singh Sidhu was a top ODI batsman at that time, and he along with Sachin Tendulkar gave India a solid start. Sidhu carried on late into the innings and scored a sparkling 93, that included 11 boundaries.

The knock provided India with the base upon which Ajay Jadeja launched a scathing attack towards the end. Sidhu’s knock was the key to India’s victory and he was awarded the Man of the Match award for his great effort.

Jadeja tears into Waqar Younis

India seemed to have slumped after a great start and were looking at a total in the range of around 240-250. But all that changed in one over as Jadeja tore into Waqar Younis, one of the best death bowlers of all time.

In a single Waqar over Jadeja scored 22 runs, which included two sixes and two fours, as he thrashed the great bowler to all corners of the stadium. In fact, India scored 57 runs in their final four overs to power themselves to a daunting total of 287, and those runs proved to be quite decisive in the end.

“I was just playing my instinctive game that day, which I believe was the best in that situation, and it worked accordingly,” Jadeja said about his cameo knock of 45 from 25 balls.

Venkatesh Prasad knocks out Pakistan’s top order

Pakistan got off to a very fast start, as the openers ripped apart the Indian bowling attack. Aamir Sohail was timing everything to perfection and looked set to run away with the match as Pakistan scored 84 runs from their first 10 overs.

It was then that this most memorable incident in Indo-Pak ODI cricket history happened. Sohail had hit Venkatesh Prasad for a few boundaries and was seemingly in control of the situation. However after hitting one to the extra-cover fence, he gestured towards the bowler, indicating, “Go, fetch that”.

An irate Prasad gave Sohail the perfect reply by knocking off his off-stump as the Pakistani attempted to play a similar shot yet again. The fast bowler gave Sohail a fiery send-off that set the stadium on fire, and the moment proved to be a turning moment in the match as Pakistan lost its way soon after that.

Some Kumble magic in the middle overs

Anil Kumble picked up the key wicket of Salim Mali

Anil Kumble was the top Indian bowler at that time, like he was for most of his cricket career. In the mid-1990s, he used to choke the opposition batting in the middle overs with his mix of quicker deliveries and impeccable line and length.

Here again he played that role to perfection and ensured that the pressure got to Pakistan towards the end overs. Prasad had accounted for Ijaz Ahmed and Inzamam-Ul-Haq to add to the scalp of Sohail but it was Kumble’s dismissal of veteran batsman Salim Malik, the architect of many successful run-chases for Pakistan, with his trademark flipper that sealed the deal.

The leg-spinner’s miserly overs also forced the required rate to shoot up and when Javed Miandad, playing his final ODI, was dismissed run out, the final nail in Pakistan’s coffin was laid.