Time never stops for anyone. Time just flies. These two are facts of life. After every 24 hours, today becomes yesterday and a part of our memory bank. One such capsule from the memory bank goes back to the 1992 World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand. To be specific, the recollection dates back to March 4, 1992 – the first time yours truly had the experience of witnessing the tension and drama surrounding a high-voltage India-Pakistan encounter.
The memories are somewhat vague, but yours truly was down with a fever and had to take a day off from school. With exams, too, fast approaching, there was the pressure of studying for the finals. In between, however, it was about finding a way to switch on the TV to witness India take on Pakistan, at the SCG, in a World Cup encounter.
This was a time when Pakistan were billed as the favourites when they locked horns against India. In the build-up to the game, the writer’s friends, who were a few years elder, kept discussing about a Wills Trophy final that took place around six months earlier, with Pakistan winning by a comfortable margin of 72 runs.
Returning to the game in Sydney, both teams were struggling for form. So, that added another layer to the already charged-up atmosphere. India, who won the toss and grappled with the kind of movement on offer. In that World Cup, two white Kookaburras were used in an innings. And those Kookaburras swung considerably upfront. Kris Srikkanth, renowned for his hitting prowess, could muster just five runs off 38 deliveries before nicking one off Aaqib Javed.
The swing on offer also resulted in Pakistan’s bowlers bowling a fair number of wides; Wasim Akram finished up with five wides. Ajay Jadeja and Mohammad Azharuddin then pushed the scoring rate. The former India skipper, in particular, looked in good touch, essaying a few crunchy shots square off the wicket and via covers. He also skipped down the track to thwack Mushtaq Ahmed, the wrist spinner, down the ground.
The watershed moment for India came through the partnership between Kapil Dev and Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar’s stroke-play was eclipsed by Kapil’s belligerence. The crackerjack lofted drive over extra cover off Ahmed’s googly will echo in the writer’s memory forever. Tendulkar, too, chipped in with late cuts and short-arm pulls. He also ran between the wickets like a jackrabbit and compiled a vital fifty as India accumulated 216 runs.
With the ball moving around, it was a competitive total. During the second session, there was a brief break for Doordarshan news. By the time the live feed returned, Pakistan had already lost a couple of wickets. Aamir Sohail and Javed Miandad, however, threatened to derail India’s progress. In fact, after the completion of 30 overs, both sides were on 105, with Pakistan losing one wicket less. It took a brilliant low catch from Srikkanth to send the dangerous Sohail back to the hut.
With Miandad, India’s tormentor at the crease, Pakistan would have still believed. Just that he didn’t get the required support as Pakistan slipped to 141 for 6. And then the moment that every Indian fan was waiting for arrived – Miandad was castled by a yorker from Javagal Srinath. It wasn’t just Srinath who jumped in joy after taking the scalp, but so did my school friend, Srikanth. Just before Miandad’s dismissal, there was this bizarre incident of the veteran jumping up-and-down a few times. The narrative goes that he was frustrated by Kiran More’s appeals and the sledging going around him.
Ultimately, when Wasim Haider’s stumps were rattled, there was a festive atmosphere at my home. India had just won their first-ever India-Pakistan match played in a cricket World Cup. Little did we know that India would remain unbeaten for 29 more years against Pakistan in cricket World Cups.
So, what is your first-ever experience of watching an India-Pakistan encounter? Share your thoughts.
Also Read: India vs Pakistan – Non-Stop Drama!
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