India and Pakistan matches are always high-voltage clashes. While they attract a lot of spectators in the stadiums, the fans stay glued to their TV sets when the arch-rivals face each other. The Men in Blue’s record in the World Cups is just spectacular. India have suffered a defeat just once in a T20 World Cup fixture while winning all their encounters in the ODI format.
One such clash took place in Bengaluru in 1996 edition of the World Cup when India locked horns with Pakistan in the quarter-final. Batting first, India had put up a good score of 287/8 in 49 overs on the board. Navjot Singh Sidhu top-scored for the hosts with 93 off 115 while Ajay Jadeja chipped in with a quick-fire 45 off 25.
But the real drama took place during the Pakistan innings. Openers Saeed Anwar and Aamer Sohail started off the proceedings in a decent manner stitching a stand of 84 for the first wicket. Anwar was eventually undone by Javagal Srinath for 48 off 32 while Sohail went on to notch up a fifty.
This moment is etched forever in every cricket fan’s minds. Perfect time to take everyone in a rewind!!! Happy Birthday Venkatesh Prasad! pic.twitter.com/uXemQmYjkq
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 5, 2018
Tensions peaked during the 15th over when Sohail sledged Venkatesh Prasad after hitting a boundary. The batter smashed one through the covers and Sohail aggressively pointed the bat at Prasad, as if to say, “Go fetch that.” Sohail tried to repeat the slash off the next ball but this time he was cleaned up. A charged-up Prasad gave him a send-off.
“Pakistan stand-in captain Aamir Sohail won his battle against the interfering ways of former captain Javed Miandad, who he banished to the outfield,” wrote R Mohan in the 1996 Indian Cricket annual, “but he did not win the battle against his own temper, which he lost when he was right on top of the bowling and was hitting the seamers where he wished. It was a moment of the match when Prasad bowled him. Or was Sohail bowled by his own hot temper?”
Pakistan then lost wickets at regular intervals and were eventually restricted to 248/9 as India won by 39 runs. Prasad returned with figures of 3/45 in his 10 overs.
Also Read: IND vs PAK | How MS Dhoni’s Biopic Played a Role in Usman Tariq’s Pakistan Call-up
Covering sports for fun. Cricket in whites remains the first love—the kind that teaches patience, rewards nuance, and tells stories over five days rather than five seconds.
