Rivals India and Pakistan have clashed 6 times at the World Cup since the year 1992. On all these occasions, it has been the Indian team that has emerged on the winning side. This 100% victory percentage in World Cups has not only inspired the ‘Mauka Mauka’ ad on Star Sports, but has also seen cricketing legends share their views on the matter. Saurav Ganguly reported: “Yes I have seen that ad. And this ad will remain the same for next 10 to 12 years because Pakistan will never beat India in the World Cup!”
Captain Cool MS Dhoni had another take on the situation. He said: It is also a reality that we will lose someday, maybe today or after 10 years or after 20 years or after 50 years”. This year the World Cup is back. As fans on both sides of the border wait for a favourable result, soon we will know whose year it will be. Let us take a quick look at the past matches between the teams and start our own predictions!
In 1992, Pakistan and India played each other in the group stage. India posted 216 on the board with young Tendulkar scoring an unbeaten 54 in the game. Pakistan got all out for 173 ending up on the losing side. Despite being unable to triumph against the Men in Blue, Pakistan went on to win the cup that year.
Their next clash came in the 1996 World Cup. This time it was a quarter-final match. With India batting first again, the team scored an impressive 287, with Navjot Singh Sidhu at the forefront scoring 93 runs. Openers Aamer Sohail and Saeed Anwar put up a good fight, but the team could not manage to cross the line, losing by 39 runs. Venkatesh Prasad and Anil Kumble took 3 wickets apiece keeping the batsmen under control.
Let’s jump to 1999. With the Kargil War in the background, the two teams played a match that must have been watched by thousands around the globe. Rahul Dravid scored 61 to help India reach a score of 227. Though not a huge total, India managed to defend it due to the brilliant bowling of Venkatesh Prasad who took 5/27 in his 9.3 overs. Yet another victory for the Men in Blue.
In 2003, Pakistan batted first for a change. This, however, did not make a difference to the result. Saeed Anwar struck an impressive 101 taking his team to a total of 273. But this did not prove a big enough score for the batting legends Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, and Rahul Dravid. The Master Blaster was in full form scoring 98 from 75 balls, supported by a crucial partnership by the other two.
After a rest for fans and players in 2007, the two teams were back facing each other again in the 2011 World Cup. And this time it was a do-or-die semifinal match. With adrenaline high on both sides, the match began.
Sachin Tendulkar stepped up again and scored an impressive 85 runs. Pakistan required 261 runs to win. Despite Misbah-ul-Haq and Mohammad Hafeez giving their team a fighting chance, India managed to end on the winning side, later going on to win the tournament.
Finally, the last time the teams played against each other was in the 2015 World Cup. With a superb century from Virat Kohli and an amazing bowling spell by Mohammed Shami (4/35 in 9 overs), the Indian team did not give Pakistan a chance to taste victory. India's impressive World Cup record does not end here. The Men in Blue have also defeated Pakistan in the last 5 out of 5 T20 World Cup matches.
Team India will definitely be proud of the spectacular track record against Pakistan. It’s still a mystery however as to what makes a difference in the World Cup, because otherwise, Pakistan has been impressive in ODIs against India, winning 74 out of 131 matches. Whatever it may be, Indian fans will be hoping that the magical World Cup winning streak continues this year, and for many more years to come.