India's religion
While there are countless incidents of cricketers of opposing teams going plain crazy, the world would accept the tension’s at a different level altogether when it’s India vs. Pakistan. Some think a fair share of on-field banter is fine, while others call it plain evil.
With India and Pakistan going up again at the World Twenty 20, sparks are flying already. Here are the 5 ugliest sledging incidents in India-Pakistan cricket history:
1. Prasad Vs. Sohail - 1996 World Cup
In the quarter-finals of the 1996 World Cup, Pakistan’s openers Aamer Sohail and Saeed Anwar were tearing the Indian bowling apart.
The duo was chasing a 288 runs target. After hitting Venkatesh Prasad for a few boundaries, Sohail sarcastically gestured Prasad to which part of the pitch he should bowl. The next ball, Prasad sent Sohail’s stumps flying, and the rest is history.
This broke the solid partnership, and India clichéd a memorable win.
2. Tendulkar, the Baby God– 1989 Exhibition Game
It was 1989, and the God of Cricket Sachin Tendulkar was at the tender age of 16.
He debuted against Pakistan to face the wrath of bowling legends like Wasim Akram and Imran Khan. Add to that the heckling and jeering by Pakistani supporters.
The rain forced the 50-over ODI was shortened to a 20-20. After the Little Master hit young Mushtaq Ahmed for two sixes in an over, a haughty Abdul Qadir challenged Tendulkar to ‘take on a man’.
The over ended with 4 Sixes and a Four.
3. Javed Miandad jumps - 1992 World Cup
India and Pakistan went up against each other in the 1992 World Cup. Sachin Tendulkar and Kapil Dev’s aggresive innings ensured India posted 216 on the board.
During Pakistan’s innings, it all began when Tendulkar bowled down the leg side once. Javed Miandad failed to hit, and wicket keeper Kiran More caught it. Simple an event, but More jumped up and down in an appeal long and hard. The umpire was unfazed.
The next ball, Miandad took a quick double, but More whipped off the bails even when Miandad was in. Miandad didn’t take this too well.
With both ends of the bat in his hands, he did several spot jumps, bringing his knees up to the chest as a measure to mimic More’s appeals.
4. Gambhir Vs. Afridi – 2007 Bilateral Series
This is few months after the inaugural World T20 in Johannesburg.
India was off to a great start, thanks to the 68 runs opening partnership of Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar.
When Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh were playing, a verbal spat broke out after Gambhir hit Afridi for a four. On the next ball, Afridi collided with Gambhir when he ran for a single.
The heated argument that followed could only stop on umpire Ian Gould’s intervention.
5. Harbhajan Singh Vs. Shoib Akhtar – 2010
After the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, India and Pakistan met each other at lesser intervals. So when they did in 2010 in Sri Lanka, the intensity was a notch higher.
This was a crucial match for both India and Pakistan. It was going to decide who’ll qualify for the finals of the Asia cup.
Pakistan put 267 runs on the board and India was struggling with 38 to win 29 balls and a mere 4 wickets in hand. Harbhajan Singh walked in, and his wild hits gave India much needed fuel. In the second last over, Harbhajan played two dots from Akhtar, and got a mouthful from the legendary pacer.
In the electric final over, with India needing 7 runs to win, Suresh Raina was run out. Harbhajan saved the day with a winning six off Mohammed Aamir with 3 runs needed off 2 balls, and roared towards Akhtar.
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