Nothing gives me more pleasure than India defeating Pakistan. However, growing up in India in the 1990s, the opposite used to happen more frequently.
Pakistan’s fast bowlers Imran Khan and Wasim Akram would destroy our batting, while their batsmen Javed Miandad, Salim Malik and Saeed Anwar would smash us into pulp.
The mercurial Miandad hitting a famous last-ball six off Chetan Sharma’s delivery in April, 1986, was such a crushing defeat that India’s next victory over its arch-rival didn’t come until November 1991.
After that brief blip, our losing streak against our next-door neighbours continued in Harjah (Sarjah, as sarcastically called then, ascribed to us getting frequently vanquished).
India has come a long way since. The players no longer capitulate under pressure against Pakistan. A great example would be the recent Asia Cup T20 encounter. Chasing a paltry score of 85, India were reeling at three wickets with just eight runs on the board.
Rewind to 1996, and India were facing the same situation against a virulent Pakistani attack, and after Sachin Tendulkar was out, the rest made a beeline for the dressing room.
Now, in the same situation, the batsmen hardly showed any nervousness. They looked determined and played sensible cricket, guiding India to victory. The fighting spirit, professionalism and killer instinct has increased.
Nothing ever has united India and brought out the patriotism more than cricket. It’s arguably the only instance we don’t see ourselves as individuals, but rejoice as Indians.
Ananth
Guest
Hello sir, you must have missed it or something, he wasn't out by any means the ball was going high and it had pitched outside leg..it was a good decision and i agree Amir bowled well and made all the other batsmen even kohli was tested immensely ! he might have won the battle but India and Kohli had the last laugh sir. It was an exciting match i'm sure both the teams will meet again soon..it's going to be a re-match.. all the best for both the teams !
Mo Aamir's phone supplier
Guest
Luck's a fortune but he made the most of it. Though I loved Tendulkar's batting, it was Pak's bowling attack that captivated me the most esp in the 90s....World Cup 1992, England tour etc.. Wasim, Waqar, Mushtaq and Mushtaq at their peaks would have been amongst the best all round bowling attacks a nation has had in cricket history. Great pace, great spin.
NYCric
Guest
Kohli benefitted from a poor umpiring decision early on. He was clearly out lbw and that would have changed the game surely. As poor as Pakistani batting was, Indian batting was easily exposed and ripped wide open by Amir from his first ten deliveries.