So it’s coming again. Excitement is mounting. Fans are waiting. Coming 4th June, India will play Pakistan yet again in an ODI at a big stage, this time at ICC Champions Trophy in England and wales.
Indian fans are eagerly awaiting and as history denotes, they can afford to be extremely optimistic about the outcome of this match. India has been dominating Pakistan comprehensively in all ICC tournaments, ever since they played them the first time on 4th March 1992 at Sydney during 1992 ICC Cricket World Cup. The record goes like this – India 6-0 in ICC World Cups, India 5-0 in ICC T-20 World Cup but it is Pakistan 2-1 in ICC Champions Trophy. So India has won 12 times out of total 14 times they met Pakistan in any of the ICC Championships.
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Indian fans still get thrilled and ecstatic when they fondly remember India’s triumph over Pakistan at Mohali (March 2011), Bangalore (March 1996), Centurion Park (March 2003) and Johannesburg (September 2007, T-20 Final). These were colossal Indian victories at huge stage (ICC Championship).
An India – Pakistan encounter invokes unparalleled enthusiasm, especially when bilateral Cricket ties of both nations have reduced to naught over the past one decade. For the fans across the border, it is eternal nasha to watch an India-Pakistan encounter. Once I was interacting to an official of Airport Authority of India. He told that the only occasion Chandigarh airport chocked due to excessive flight’s movements was when India played Pakistan in the semi-final of 2011 World Cup at Mohali. There was a deluge of chartered flights from across the country to Chandigarh on that day and day before.
As mentioned above, first time India played Pakistan in an ICC tournament was in March 1992 during fifth ICC World Cup. But let’s dig little further as there is much more to cherish for Indian fans apart from India-Pakistan encounters in ICC Championships.
The current generation has witnessed India’s fairy-tale run under MS Dhoni during 2007-2013. Dhoni won all three ICC Championships (ODI World Cup, T-20 World Cup and Champions Trophy) for his country.
But way back during early eighties India had another excellent run in limited overs Cricket. It started with an iconic victory on 25th June 1983 and over the next two years; India won three more ODI tournaments (apart from 1983 World Cup). So there were total four – ICC World Cup in 1983, Inaugural Asia Cup in 1984 at Sharjah, World Championship at Australia in March 1985 (all seven Test-playing nations participated in this tournament) and then Rothmans Cup at Sharjah in March 1985.Thus by the end of March 1985, India was holding total four ODI trophies.
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India did not play Pakistan in 1983 World Cup but then there were four encounters during the next three tournaments mentioned above. Those four matches were played in a span of just one year.
Cricket at Sharjah (UAE) started with the inaugural Asia Cup in April 1984. India defeated Pakistan and Sri Lanka both to lift the trophy. India thrashed Pakistan by 54 runs.
Chasing India’s total of 188, Pakistan was bowled out on 134. Indian fielders inflicted four run outs in Pakistan’s innings.
Before the commencement of World Championship in Australia during Feb-March 1985, Sunil Gavaskar announced that this would be his last outing for India as captain. India won the championship and Gavaskar got a dream farewell. India played Pakistan twice and won both the matches in this championship. In league match, India defeated them easily riding on a magnificent knock of 93 by young Mohd. Azharuddin. Imran Khan tried his level best with bowling but Azhar and Gavaskar had better of him.
An India – West Indies final was anticipated but Pakistan knocked out mighty West Indies in semi-final and India played Pakistan in the final. Tempo was high and India was wary as Pakistan had magnificent victory against West Indies behind them. But it was easy sailing for India. In response of 176 of Pakistan, India chased it easily with eight wickets in hand. Shastri and Srikkanth had a century partnership at the top of the order. India won the championship and Ravi Shastri bagged a swanky AUDI car for being player of the tournament.
However the match which India played against Pakistan just 12 days after the final of World Championship on 22nd March 1985 at Rothmans Cup Sharjah, was the most outstanding and memorable of all. India batted first and Imran Khan was lethal on that day. Imran claimed 6 wickets for 14 and India was bowled out for a miserable 125. A humiliating defeat was on cards but then Pakistan was bundled out for just 87. Sunil Gavaskar was outstanding in field. He took four catches in the slip.
Till date it remains one of the most famous ODI victories in ODI as India defend a total of just 125. When Pakistan’s side returned home, barring Imran Khan whole team was heavily booed by the Pakistani fans and there was huge backlash.This remained India’s last victory over Pakistan at Sharjah for many years to come. The very next match with Pakistan at Sharjah was in April 1986, in which Miandad smashed last bowl six on Chetan Sharma to pull the magnificent victory.
Pakistan’s bashing by India in ICC tournaments came much later and for our generation those four matches in 1984-85 bring immense joy till date. Those were first four matches between India and Pakistan in multi-team ODI tournament and all of them were at neutral venues.
India won them all of those four matches in a span of one year and with perfect ease, which is no less accomplishment.
At last, let’s hope India will maintain the winning spree on June 4th 2017.
(The author in NewsMobile iJourno)