No world cup India-Paki encounter for the first time IN 15 years

(Karthik Narayan)

One weekend can change lives – this World Cup saw that horrifying fluctuations of the wrong kind. First Pakistan got knocked out, the next day Bob Woolmer was found dead. Worst of all, Inzamam retired from ODI cricket.

That significantly also means one more thing – there wont be an India-Pakistan world cup match for the first time since their encounter began in 1992 in Australia. India have never been beaten by Pakistan in any of the 4 world cup matches between them (1992, 1996, 1999 and 2003).

In the first edition, Pakistan brushed aside the loss against India to romp and win the Cup (Imran Khan led them admirably). The Indians halted Pakistan in the second edition, in a cliffhanger at Bangalore in the quarterfinal. Of course, India miserably configured their batting prowess against Sri Lanka is a sad Indian tale to go with some others.

In 1999 again, Pakistan had a double blow with losses against both India and Bangladesh, the latter was considered to be the Giant-killer of the cup. The Bangladeshis had done to Pakistan what Kenya had done to WI in 1996.

The year 2003 was special to the Guru and his protégé – Sachin and Sehwag. Both pulverized the Pakistani bowling. More than saying the scorecard looked good, the match can be summed up as:

Akhtar – Sachin/ Sehwag – twin terror – slash and slash hard – third man boundary sixers – fans delightfully howling in the stands. Akhtar looks up at the sky goes ^$%%^@#


It is very disappointing that there won’t be an India-Pakistan match this time around, but I guess there are more challenges ahead for Pakistan to face now – their fans and countrymen as they return home. Good luck, fellas!