India will face Pakistan in the Cricket World Cup 2019 at Old Trafford on Sunday. Here are some of the most amazing performances with both bat and ball of each side in One Day International Cricket.
India
1. Sachin Tendulkar, 98 in 2003.
Sachin Tendulkar played one of his great ODI innings against Pakistan at Centurion, South Africa in the 2003 World Cup. Chasing 274 runs, the pressure was firmly on India, as Pakistan had a World Class Bowling attack. But Sachin had some other ideas, as from the first ball Tendulkar faced the little master looked in fine touch and took the fast bowling lineup to cleaners. Sachin scored a sublime 98 runs off just 75 deliveries, that included 12 fours and one famous six of the bowling of Shoaib Akhtar. The innings helped India achieve a memorable World Cup win against their Arch Rivals Pakistan.
2. Virat Kohli, 183 in 2012.
In the Asia cup of 2012, Pakistan batted first and scored a mammoth total of 329 runs, courtesy of Pakistani openers Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed who both smashed individual centuries. India were rocked early, as Gambhir fell in the very first over. Virat Kohli joined Sachin Tendulkar in the middle as India were in a spot of bother. Virat Kohli then played one of the great ODI innings while chasing, the chase master was unstoppable and smashed the Pakistani bowlers to each corner of the ground in Dhaka. This was the innings in which Kohli made the transition from being a young talented Cricketer to one of the best ODI batsmen in the World. Kohli made a dazzling 183 runs off just 148 balls and helped India beat Pakistan comprehensively in the end. The memorable innings included 22 boundaries and one six.
3. Dhoni 113* in 2003
The knock may have come in a losing knock, but this was arguably the finest knock of former India captain MS Dhoni. Batting first the Pakistani fast bowlers Junaid Khan and Irfan, rattled the Indian top order and knocked over the likes of Sehwag, Kohli cheaply. India were 29-5 at one stage and it looked as if the Indian innings would not even touch 100 runs. Dhoni started cautiously and once he got set he decided to put the hammer down and scored an unforgettable hundred. This was Mahi’s 8th ODI century and by far his best considering the situation India found themselves in. Dhoni added 125 runs with Ravichandran Ashwin and took India to an above par total of 227 runs on a spicy pitch at Chepauk. India although lost the match but Dhoni played an innings which will always be remembered by every Indian cricket fan.
4. Sourav Ganguly, 5-16 in 1997
The former Indian Captain won India plenty of games with his batting skills, but he also produced a brilliant bowling performance against Pakistan. While Batting First Ganguly was dismissed at just 2 by Azhar Mahmood, and India could not put 182 runs on the board. Chasing the target Pakistan started well, then Captain Sachin Tendulkar introduced Sourav Ganguly in the bowling attack. The rest is history as Dada broke the back of the Pakistani middle order, and did not allow them to chase down the target. Ganguly with his medium pace gave only 16 runs and picked 5 crucial Pakistani Wickets. This bowling performance of Ganguly at Toronto is the best bowling performance for India against Pakistan in ODI Cricket. India in the end won by 34 runs, and Ganguly was adjudged the player of the match for his sublime bowling performance.
5. Venkatesh Prasad 5-27, 1999
When the last time the two great Rivals met in the World Cup in England, it was a fine Bowling performance of Indian fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad, that helped India win at Manchester. In a group game of the 1999 Cricket World Cup, India batted first and posted a respectable total of 227 runs on the board. Venkatesh Prasad was the game changer for India as the Karnataka Pacer gave away just 27 runs and picked up 5 wickets. He removed the very dangerous Saeed Anwar and brought India into the contest. From that point onwards the fast bowler kept picking up wickets at regular intervals and did not allow the Pakistani batsman to create Partnerships. India won by 47 runs and kept India in the 1999 World Cup.
Pakistan
1. Fakhar Zaman 114, 2017
Going into the Finals of the Champions Trophy Fakhar Zaman had hardly played International Cricket. He stunned England in the Semis and then in the Finals went on to score a magical hundred that helped his side beat India in the final of a major ICC event. Zaman was caught behind early in the match, but Bumrah had overstepped the line and the Pakistani opener got lucky. He made full use of the life given to him and stroked a fine century, this knock will always be remembered by every Pakistan as before the match no one gave Pakistan a chance to beat India. Once set, Zaman was particularly harsh on the Indian spin Duo of Ashwin and Jadeja and hit them for fours and sixes at will. Fakhar Zaman ended his innings after scoring 114 off 106 balls with 12 fours and three massive sixes in his innings. Pakistan went on to score a gigantic total of 338 runs in their 50 overs. The Indian Batsman failed to chase down the target and Pakistan won the match by a massive margin of 180 runs.
2. Mohammad Amir 3-16, 2017
Mohammad Amir produced a top class bowling spell as he removed the top 3 of the Indian batting Line up cheaply. The pressure of the big stage brought out the best from the Pakistani spearhead. Amir removed Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan early in the run chase. He gave an exhibition of fast bowling as he swung the ball in the air and was almost unplayable to play. Amir gave only 16 runs in his 6 overs that helped Pakistan thrash India in the Finals of the Champions trophy. The left Arm seamer was also praised by the Indian Captain Virat Kohli after the match.
3. Saeed Anwar 1994, 1997
At hot and humid Chennai India took on Pakistan in a group match of the Independence Cup in the year 1997. Saeed Anwar the great Pakistani Opener registered the highest ever ODI score at that time when he scored a remarkable 194 runs. The southpaw smashed 22 boundaries and also hit 5 sixes. This is by far the best batting performance by a Pakistani batsman against India. The conditions were difficult to bat as it was extremely hot, but Anwar was on song from ball one and did not spare any Indian bowler. His innings helped Pakistan post 327 runs, which proved to be a little too much for the Indian Team.
4. Wahab Riaz, 2011
In the Marquee clash of the 2011 Cricket World Cup semifinal in Mohali, India locked horns against their fierce rivals Pakistan. The Pakistani side made one surprise selection as they preferred to pick a young Wahab Riaz over the Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar. Riaz who before the match had not even played against India, proved to be the only positive for Pakistan in the entire match. The fast bowler picked 5 big Indian wickets including Sehwag, Kohli, Yuvraj, Dhoni. He removed the inform Yuvraj on the first ball with a fast inswinging Yorker which perhaps was the ball of the World Cup. His spell of 5-46 restricted India to a par total of just 260 runs. Sadly the Pakistani Batsman could not mirror Riaz’s overs performance as they crumble under pressure yet again and lost the match. But the bowling spell of Wahab Riaz Will always be remembered as one of the great bowling performance against India in ODI cricket.
5. Shahid Afridi 102, 2005
Boom Boom Afridi scored his second fastest hundred in ODI cricket against India in 2005 at Kanpur. Batting second, hit 9 huge sixes and 10 fours that helped his side achieve the target with 8 overs to spare. Chasing 250 runs Afridi was at his best in the match and single-handedly destroyed the Indian bowling attack. Afridi played one of his finest knock as he scored 102 off just 46 deliveries.
