Through Australian eyes, this rivalry is built on misdeeds, misgivings and mistrust.
While Australian cricket’s rivalry with England is historical, and with New Zealand is geographical, with Pakistan it’s nearly pathological.
Pakistan’s cricket coach Waqar Younis stops short of describing it as bitter, preferring the word “fierce”.
But Javad Miandad has no such qualms: “We have that history of bitter Test matches,” he says.
Miandad should know.
Pakistan’s polarising run-machine is a central figure to tension with Australia’s cricketers which backdrops Friday’s World Cup quarter-final between the nations in Adelaide.
In 1981, Miandad clashed with Australia’s great fast bowler Dennis Lillee during a Test match in Perth.
Lillee, never a saint, obstructed Miandad when the batsman was running a single.
The volatile Pakistani pushed the paceman; Lillee kicked at the batsman.
As Australian umpire Tony Crafter played boxing referee and stood between them, Miandad raised his bat overhead, threatening to strike Lillee, who was pilloried for starting the blue.
Cricketing bible Wisden described the unseemly incident as “one of the most undignified incidents in Test history”.
Former Australian captain, and later coach, Bob Simpson said it was “the most disgraceful thing I have seen on a cricket field”.
Ex-Aussie allrounder Keith Miller said Lillee “should be suspended for the rest of the season” and ex-skipper Ian Chappell said Lillee acted like “a spoiled, angry child”.
Lillee was initially fined $200, a wet-lettuce penalty appealed by Pakistan who threatened to end the tour without further action.
So the Australian Cricket Board reduced Lillee’s fine to $120 but suspended him two matches – he missed two low-key one-day internationals but played on.
Lillee and Miandad continued acrimonious verbal stoushes for the rest of their careers – and the Pakistani run-scorer was again a main character in the next chapter of blow-ups between the nations.
In 1988, Australia’s cricketers toured Pakistan and bemoaned what they considered dubious home-town umpiring decisions and doctored pitches.
Miandad is incorrectly recalled as a batsman never given out lbw in Pakistan. Fact is, he was dismissed eight times in that manner in his 86 Test knocks on home soil.
But as the Australians moaned in 1988, Miandad suggested the tourists should “pack their bags and go home” – an action the Australians were considering.
The Australian camp issued a statement after the first Test saying: “The situation is unacceptable and damaging to the international cricket yet nothing seems to be done.”
But, like Lillee years earlier, they played on.
And the gripes were nothing when compared to when Australian returned to Pakistan for a 1994 tour which had everlasting consequences.
Aussie spin bowlers Shane Warne and Tim May alleged then Pakistani captain Salim Malik offered them bribes to underperform in the Karachi Test; batsman Mark Waugh also went on record saying Malik asked him to underperform in a one-day match in Rawalpindi.
The allegations forced the Pakistan government to conduct a judicial inquiry but the Australians refused to appear in Pakistan, instead giving evidence in Australia.
The disgraced Malik became the first cricketer banned for life for match-fixing and six players, including now coach Waqar, spinner Mushtaq Ahmed and Waqar’s pace partner Wasim Akram were also fined.
The match-fixing controversy took the Australia-Pakistan rivalry to unheralded levels and and the cloud hung over the 1999 World Cup final between the nations.
Australia won the title easily at Lord’s in England – Pakistan were bowled out for just 132 and the Australians reeled in the total in only 20.1 overs.
The result was the basis of another match-fixing inquiry in Pakistan by the Justice Karamat Bhandari commission but all players were absolved of wrongdoing.
But it was hardly surprising that bitterness again prevailed when the nations met again at the 2003 World Cup.
Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist alleged his Pakistani counterpart Rashid Latif, while batting, called him a “white c***”.
The exchange, reportedly captured by stump microphones, was the focus of an ICC investigation which deemed the evidence inconclusive and cleared the Pakistani.
Andrew
Guest
So will India, Australia are no Bangladesh.
bilal
Guest
Sorry about that old chap did not mean to offend you furthermore India will have learnt allot from todays match Australia better bring their A game or else.
Renegade
Roar Guru
That's your opinion mate and fair enough.... Looking at the crowds and audience figures for this - I'm pretty sure it does mean a hell of a lot more!
Sideline Comm.
Guest
Could not disagree more. ODI titles, World Cup or not, are not nor ever have been more significant than wins in big test series like the Ashes.
Armchair Expert
Guest
The extra twist in the Rodney Hogg run out (by Javed) was that it was a no ball, those days you didn't get an extra run if you ran a single off it anyway, these days Hogg would be not out, Hoggy also wacked the stumps with his bat before walking off, apparently the Sarfraz appeal for handling the ball was in retaliation the the Sikander Mankad.
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
spruce moose
Guest
Just 1.2 million eh? All good....:p Yes, by my definition Australia should be threatened by any team in a semi. Teams that make semi's made it for a reason - they are good. I'm not saying the Indians are as good as the Aussies on home pitches...der. What I am trying to spell out for you is that the advantage Australia once had, only as few as 6 weeks ago has gone both by Indians being more prepared on these surfaces and the surfaces becoming more placid as we get further into Autumn. Neither team is actually in a position of strength to be honest...Australians may have grown up and played on these pitches their whole lives, but they don't play on them in March. The pitches in March are different to February and are different to January. Clearly you have started thinking about India considering how prepared you were to dismiss them, but yes the Australians do need to worry about today first.
Renegade
Guest
Have to disagree there SC. The World cup is the pinnacle of the sport.... test matches against England are minor in the big scheme of things. As much as i love beating England, it doesn't get me anywhere near as excited as being crowned World Champions.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Certainly there is history between both countries and at times it's been volatile. Pakistan to me are like the French Rugby Team, World beaters on there day but other times they look at sea. Lets see how the perform today, expect them to give us a really good game. Aussies must lift.
Johnno
Guest
Pakistan have a pathetic ODI record vs the aussies in Australia, so the aussies is history is anything to go by should win. But in 1 ODI big match in the past the aussies lost to Pakistan in the 92 WC round matches, it sunk the aussies, and started the momentum turnaround for the Pakistan team to win the 92 WC. Aussies should win, but the pitch is a road and if Pakistan can win the toss, they are in with a chance. Pakistan lose the toss and bowl first, no chance.
jameswm
Guest
I think we have a different definition fo threatened. By your definition, Australia will be threatened by any team, because it's a WC semi. The Aussies under more pressure than India? Are you serious? Those guys have 1.2 million following them. Yeah right. India is as accustomed to grassy bouncy conditions after 4 months as the Aussies - who have spent their lives on those pitches - are. Also, did you have a look at the different bowling attacks? In any case, we need to worry about today first. I haven't started thinking about India.
Renegade
Roar Guru
I guess people (myself included) are judging them on how they have gone over the past 4 months rather than the past 6 matches, which is a fair assessment even if proved to be wrong. They've certainly done very well to get there and if Australia manage to win against Pakistan today and India beat them next week.... i'll be shocked but i will also certainly respect the Indian sides performance then. It's just really hard to ignore that Australia didn't lose to them once over the summer but somehow come to the conclusion that India is the team to beat. If they do win their semi - there's simply no objection to make after that.
saha
Guest
Oh well Renegade, I countered your 12 yo's comment with one that almost sounded the same. To quote you "England flogged then twice too…. They couldn’t even make it through to the quarters of the WC." England was the only team that actually flogged India this year in ODIs. So the comments that say, India has been getting flogged by Australia throughout summer/winter/spring is kinda annoying and I have read several instances of such comments from you. Regardless of whether India beats any team in the semis (Pakistan or Australia), India has come somewhat long way from that pointless tri series, we've won about 7 games in a row taking 70 wickets. I thought the roar audience might have some respect for the team, but I guess we might have to make that 80 wickets to get some respect here. Ha!
Renegade
Roar Guru
I'm nervous about today's game against Pakistan as i've numerously written.... I stand by my comment that this game is likely to be tougher than the semi against India - i may be completely wrong but that's just my gut feel. We know what to expect with India - it's the same every game.... Pakistan are a very enigmatic side so you just never know what you are going to get.
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
Beautifully said mate. A little irrelevant, for as an Australian fan, I have no intention of being enemies with either Indian or Pakistani fans. But the statement you made was spot on.
spruce moose
Guest
Well, yes, But people can take off the rose tinted glasses from time to time. I think it's refreshing to see a level of magnamity being extended to an opponent.
Vas Venkatramani
Roar Guru
Wow, Bilal just wow. Couple of things. Firstly, I am an Australian fan, and there is no team I enjoy seeing my team beat more than India. Two, from a young age, I loved Pakistan's players more than India's. Wasim, Waqar and Saqlain for me were more inspirational than Tendulkar. You can count the amount of Indian players I love watching on one hand (Dravid, Laxman, Kumble and Sehwag would be it, and maybe Irfan Pathan - all ex players, although Rahane may join this list). From the current crop of players, I love watching Wahab Riaz bowl, and I cannot wait for the return of Muhammad Amir. In a previous instance of this website, I said Amir had the potential to be the best bowler world cricket has ever seen. Depending on his comeback, I may stand by that comment. Finally, it gives me nothing but heartbreak to see Pakistan robbed of home matches, their players not able to inspire a new generation of Pakistanis. I hate that corrupt individuals like Salman Butt was largely responsible for Amir losing five years. I hate that people like Saleem Malik tried to infest the game with corruption, while players like Rashid Latif worked hard to stamp it out. Now that we've established facts about my position, can you please stop stereotyping me? Thank you.
spruce moose
Guest
James, any team that doesn't feel threatened by meeting an undefeated team is a foolish team. While Australia should be favourites the pressure to win will be greater than for India. India are a genuine threat. My point in the second paragraph is that India have now played 10 ODI's in Australia/NZ this season + 4 tests + tour matches + warm up games. They have spent over 4 months in the country. Whatever conditions that the home side were going to exploit no longer exist. India are now accustomed to them. All teams that make the semi finals would reasonably be expected to be now used to the conditions. A hard and fast pitch with grass will not threaten India in the same way it would have 5-6 weeks ago. It's unlikely that in March the SCG will be able to produce a hard and fast pitch. The quarter final certainly wasn't like that...the ball had bounce but slowed up and stuck to the pitch. Btw, the curator I'm fairly sure can't tailor a pitch in the world cup in the same manner that they can do in a bi-lateral. Happy to stand corrected on that.
70s Mo
Guest
Hee hee. Last minute my brother decides he is going to A-league at the last minute and drags me along - so I will probably follow cricket on the Roar tonight
jameswm
Guest
What do you mean "threatened"? I wouldn't expect the Aussie team to be threatened by anyone. Would they consider India dangerous and take them seriously? Of course? It's a WC semi. "When teams get to the semi’s, any home advantage disappears". That's not true. Maybe in terms of crowd involvement, but do you think that semi will (assuming Australia gets through) be played on a dustbowl, to suit India's spinners? Not bloody likely. It will be hard and fast with some grass, perfect for Starc, Johnson and Hazlewood/Cummins.