Virat Kohli in action against Pakistan at the 2015 World Cup (AP)
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In the cricketing world, few rivalries shimmer as brilliantly and resonate as profoundly as the epic showdowns between India and Pakistan. While their sporting saga transcends mere boundaries, the rivalry itself assumes a stature of unparalleled grandeur whenever they take centre-stage at the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup.
Ever since their first World Cup meeting at the 1992 event, Team India have maintained an unbeaten streak over their arch-rivals by producing moments that have been etched into the collective memory of millions.
Commemorating India’s World Cup success, here at OneCricket, we will embark on a journey through time to look back at five of their greatest team performances against their arch-rivals at the grand stage.
Top Five Team India Performances Against Pakistan In ODI World Cups (1992 to 2019):
1. India vs Pakistan in Manchester, 2019 World Cup
India’s 2019 World Cup encounter against Pakistan, held on an eventful Old Trafford day on June 16, unfolded as a captivating chapter in the epic saga of cricket’s greatest rivalry. As the two titans collided, a Virat Kohli-led Team India scripted their most significant victory against Pakistan at a World Cup event (by 89 runs), all while extending their unblemished record to 7-0.
Opening batsman Rohit Sharma, the maestro of the willow, scorched Pakistan’s high-flying bowlers with 140. Virat Kohli and KL Rahul added their own sonnets with the bat through sparkling half-centuries, engineering India’s total to a colossal 336-5 from 50 overs.
Later in the Pakistani run-chase, Kuldeep Yadav conjured up a dream ball that breezed through Babar Azam’s bat and pad to rattle his middle stump. Following rain interruptions, the ‘Men in Green’ eventually surrendered their quest at 212-6, within 89 runs (adjusted by D/L) from their target.
2. India vs Pakistan in Centurion, 2003 World Cup
The 2003 World Cup showdown between India and Pakistan at Centurion was a seismic collision of two cricketing titans. Amidst much buzz in the air, Pakistan opener Saeed Anwar belted 101, defying all odds despite regularly losing out on partners from the other end. Lower order contributions eventually guided the ‘Men in Green’ to a highly competitive 273-7, one their star-studded bowling attack would surely have felt comfortable to defend.
As one can expect, such was not the case as Indian great Sachin Tendulkar seemed to have lived the match a year in advance. The legendary cricketer blasted 98 from just 75 balls, and in an innings that featured over a dozen boundaries, his iconic cut shot off Shoaib Akhtar set the stage ablaze.
While Sachin Tendulkar dented the likes of Akhtar, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis at the top, Indian middle-order Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid landed the knockout punch with six wickets and 26 balls to spare.
3. India vs Pakistan in Adelaide, 2015 World Cup
The 2015 World Cup meeting between India and Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval bore witness to an enthralling spectacle where Virat Kohli took centre stage like a virtuoso in the theatre of cricket.
In a chanceless innings, the senior Indian batter stroked his way to a majestic 107, and was ably assisted by Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina with their rebellious 70s. Even though Pakistan’s Sohail Khan (5-55) emerged as a formidable threat, the Indian team charted up a competitive 300-7.
Pakistan’s promising run-chase, once standing at 102-2, unravelled like a tragic narrative, with Misbah-ul-Haq’s fighting 76 being the only chapter of defiance in a story marred by despair.
All speedsters came to the fore for India, with Mohammed Shami inflicting the biggest damage with his electric four-fer.
4. India vs Pakistan in Bangalore, 1996 World Cup
The 1996 World Cup quarter-final clash between India and Pakistan at a packed M. Chinnaswamy Stadium stands as an epochal encounter, marking their first-ever knockout duel at the grand event.
Amidst the palpable tension, hosts opener Navjot Singh Sidhu heralded their run-scoring quest by slapping a scintillating 93 against Waqar Younis and co. Ajay Jadeja piled on the Pakistan pain in the death overs as he bludgeoned a 25-ball 45 to turbo-charge the Indian innings to a massive 287-8 from their 50 overs.
However, the match took a dramatic twist just as Pakistan openers Aamer Sohail and Saeed Anwar unfurled their blades, and launched an all-out attack on Indians throughout their 10-over stand. Sohail’s aggressive run-chase response emerged as a harbinger of hope for Pakistan until his standoff with Venkatesh Prasad and his eventual dismissal triggered a collapse of monumental proportions.
The narrative shifted from triumph to tragedy, and Pakistan’s innings concluded at 39 runs short, marking their World Cup exit.
5. India vs Pakistan in Mohali, 2011 World Cup
Stakes soared higher than ever before when Team India, under MS Dhoni, hosted Pakistan in the second semi-final of the 2011 World Cup.
At the dawn of this Mohali epic, Indian opener Virender Sehwag painted the canvas with a breathtaking barrage of boundaries, taking a special liking to Pakistan’s Umar Gul with his audacious strokes. Before his partner Sachin Tendulkar survived his way to 85, visiting speedster Wahab Riaz led Pakistan’s spirited fightback with a mesmerising five-fer.
For India, Suresh Raina’s near run-a-ball 36* proved crucial as they somehow gathered 260-9 from their 50 overs.
In their high-stakes run-chase, Pakistan faltered on their way as they failed to capitalise on confident starts from each of their top three batters. Misbah-ul-Haq eventually stabilised the innings but his 56 held no weightage in front of India’s combined bowling effort, which saw each of their five utilised bowlers claiming two wickets each.
The 29-run Indian win granted them a place in the final, where they ended their 28-year-old World Cup drought with a tense chase over Sri Lanka.
Virat Kohli in action against Pakistan at the 2015 World Cup (AP)
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