5 India vs Pakistan encounters etched in our memories

The India–Pakistan cricket rivalry is the game’s greatest. The fast-paced action, cricketing skill and mental ordeal make India vs Pakistan the most enticing clash. With Asia Cup 2018 around the corner where these titans lock horns once again, let’s look at some of the most memorable games from the past.

Austral-Asia Cup Final, 1986

This game saw one of the closest finishes with Pakistan needing 11 runs off the final over. Javed Miandad, who had anchored the innings with a well-timed century, was up against young Indian fast bowler Chetan Sharma in the final over. Sharma bowled tidy lines to leak only seven runs from the first five but it was Miandad who struck the final blow, hitting a six off the final ball to take Pakistan home.

Wills Cup 1996 (2nd quarterfinal)

This game was is remembered for Aamir Sohail provoking Venkatesh Prasad and then the latter clean bowling Sohail the very next ball. The result would have been different had Sohail, who was in great nick and batting well in that game, not lost his cool. In the end, India secured a comfortable 39-run win.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 (league stage)

This game saw one of the great ODI innings by Sachin Tendulkar, who unleashed on the lethal three-pronged Pakistan attack comprising Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar. It was one exhibition of strokeplay by the Master Blaster you would watch over and over again.

ICC World T20 Final, 2007

This is arguably the greatest limited-over contest between the two sides. The final of inaugural T20 World Cup went down to the wire, with Pakistan’s Misbah-Ul-Haq still at the crease in the last over but became a villain for mistiming scoop to give India T20 World Cup.

ICC Champions Trophy Final, 2017

Coming into the tournament ranked No. 8 in the world, Pakistan took a hammering from India in their first match but bounced back strong. Pakistan set India a daunting target of 339 in the final after opener Fakhar Zaman’s ton, but it was Mohammad Amir who decapitated the Indian innings to swing the game in favour of his team.