Emotions, pressure and rivalry go hand-in-hand when India and Pakistan lock-horns at the biggest stage in cricket.
An Indo-Pak cricket match is no less than a war but instead of guns and tanks, 22 players will battle it out with bat and ball to win at any cost and World Cup organisers expect it to be the most-watched match in the history of the game, with more than a billion viewers across the globe.
A nail-biting encounter is on the cards when these two rivals begin their World Cup campaign against each other at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday, February 15. For India, defending their World Cup crown might prove to be a monumental task having gone winless since early December, while Pakistan will have only one thing in mind – beat India at the World Cup and break that jinx which has been haunting them since 1992. India has managed to beat Pakistan in five out of the last six World Cup editions.
Meanwhile, as fans wait to watch their stars clash in the most-anticipated game of the 2015 World Cup, both teams have been dealing with issues over form and fitness. India lost their most experienced quick Ishant Sharma due a knee injury while Pakistan’s all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez, who was ruled out of the tournament with a calf strain, is the second player to depart after bowler Junaid Khan pulled out with a hamstring injury.Both sides enter the fixture with issues over form, with India still reeling from their horrific series Down Under and Pakistan’s 2-0 series loss against co-hosts New Zealand. Moreover, Pakistan have lost 12 out of their last 18 games in the last 12 months, including 16 matches in the sub-continent.
Vital Stats
Apart from those 5 World Cup matches, India’s record against their rivals is comparatively poor. Pakistan has enjoyed a greater number of wins even on Indian soil since they first played an ODI in 1974. However, India’s record is slightly better when considering matches played in Pakistan and other neutral venues. Their last meeting went down to the wire when they clashed at Mirpur during the Asia Cup in March 2014, Pakistan ending up winning with just 2 balls to spare thanks to Shahid Afridi’s late blitz of 34 from 18 balls.
India's record against Pakistan
| Venue | Matches | Won | Lost | Tied | N/R | W/L Ratio | World Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 30 | 11 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0.578 | 1992 |
| Away & Neutral | 96 | 39 | 53 | 0 | 0 | 0.735 | 1996 |
| Overall | 126 | 50 | 72 | 0 | 4 | 0.694 | 1999 |
However, in matches played outside Asia, India has 14 wins to their name but have lost the same number of games and they lead by a single win when the two giants have clashed in Australia. But in their last 4 games played Down Under in January 2000, India suffered 3 losses and registered only a single win at the Adelaide Oval, the same venue for their upcoming match.
India's record against Pakistan outside of Asia
| Venue | Matches | Won | Lost | N/R | W/L Ratio | W/L Ratio | World Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outside Asia | 29 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0.578 | 1992 |
| Australia | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1.333 | 0.735 | 1996 |
Tendulkar Factor
Pakistani bowlers will breathe a sigh of relief knowing that they won’t have to bowl at the Master Blaster on Sunday. Tendulkar, who featured in all five of the previous World Cup matches between the two sides, proved to be a vital cog on at least four occasions. In 1992, Tendulkar top-scored with an unbeaten 54 and also claimed the crucial wicket of opener Aamer Sohail in India’s 43-run win in Sydney. Four years later Tendulkar scored 31 in the quarter-finals in Bangalore, which India won by 39 runs, and his tally of 45 helped India win by 47 runs at Old Trafford in 1999.
Tendulkar showed no mercy towards speedster Shoaib Akhtar as he scored a 75-ball 98 at the Centurion in 2003. Chasing 274, India lost Virender Sehwag and Sourav Ganguly in the space of 2 balls but Tendulkar, along with Mohammed Kaif, stitched a match-winning partnership of 102 as India won by 6 wickets. During the 2011 semi-final at Mohali, Tendulkar top-scored yet again after being dropped four times and surviving two reviews.
Tendulkar vs Pakistan in World Cup matches since 1992
| Runs | Balls Faced | Strike Rate | Dismissal | 4s | 6s | Ground | World Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54* | 62 | 87.09 | Not out | 3 | 0 | Sydney | 1992 |
| 31 | 59 | 52.54 | Bowled | 3 | 0 | Bangalore | 1996 |
| 45 | 65 | 69.23 | Caught | 5 | 0 | Manchester | 1999 |
| 98 | 75 | 130.66 | Caught | 12 | 1 | Centurion | 2003 |
| 85 | 115 | 73.91 | Caught | 11 | 0 | Mohali | 2011 |
India’s top run-scorers against Pakistan in ODIs
| Player | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 6s | Ground | World Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | 69 | 2526 | 40.09 | 87.49 | 0 | Sydney | 1992 |
| Rahul Dravid | 58 | 1899 | 36.51 | 67.17 | 0 | Bangalore | 1996 |
| Mohammed Azharuddin | 64 | 1657 | 31.86 | 67.68 | 0 | Manchester | 1999 |
| Sourav Ganguly | 53 | 1652 | 35.14 | 71.82 | 1 | Centurion | 2003 |
| Yuvraj Singh | 36 | 1285 | 42.83 | 92.31 | 0 | Mohali | 2011 |
Pakistan’s turn
Pakistan have nothing to lose this time around and will go all guns blazing to avenge their defeats on the world's biggest stage. India on the other hand, could succumb to added pressure thanks to their recent debacle Down Under, plus their World Champions tag may well prove a hindrance. Lack of strength in depth has forced Dhoni and team management to include unproven players and their top-order's vulnerability to bouncers and short-pitched deliveries is an added advantage for Pakistan’s pace attack.
Despite the team’s poor form and past statistics, the atmosphere has always been electrifying at the start and nerve wracking towards the end. This being the opening game, both teams will be gearing for a win to carry that momentum and confidence for the rest of the tournament. The hype surrounding the game is unimaginable with tickets sold out in minutes and no matter what, one can expect fireworks both on and off the field.
