The ultimate rivalry: Reliving India's World Cup victories against Pakistan
"India-Pakistan clash is all about holding your nerves" is a cliche used umpteen times by experts and pundits alike, but the very cliche itself epitomizes the emotional roller coaster that the fierce rivalry truly is.
Although Pakistan can boast of a superior record over India in both Tests and ODIs, they have not been able to cope with the pressure that a World Cup game brings along. From 1992 to 2015, Pakistan have lost all of their six World Cup matches against India. Let us now go back in time and relive all of India's wins against their arch-rivals in the flagship event of cricket.
#1 Sydney Cricket Ground, 1992
The 1992 World Cup signaled a new era for limited overs cricket as the whites that the player had donned up until the previous World Cup were subtly replaced by eye-catching colored clothing and introduction of Day/Night games which added excitement to the contest.
The first of Indo-Pak World Cup encounters came in a tournament that saw Pakistan crowned as World Champions. They weren't up to the challenge against their arch-rivals though, as India comfortably defeated Pakistan by 43 runs.
Buoyed by young Sachin Tendulkar's brisk 54 off 62 balls India posted a fighting total of 7-216 in the allotted 49 overs. But the trio of Kapil Dev, Manoj Prabhakar and rookie pacer Javagal Srinath helped by Tendulkar's economical spell in which he conceded just 37 runs off his ten overs and took a prized wicket of Aamir Sohail, put the target well out of reach of Pakistan. They were bowled out for 173.
However, the match is best remembered for Javed Miandad's epic mimicry of India's wicket-keeper Nayan Mongia, after the latter's constant banter from behind the stumps. Though the antics were truly hilarious, however, it symbolized the first incident of Pakistan losing their nerves against in India in a World Cup encounter, laying forbearance to the future.
Result: India won by 43 runs
Player of the Match: Sachin Tendulkar (54 runs and 1/37 from 10 overs)