From the iSport Cricket Pavilion: iSporter Jigar Mehta continues writing on the World Cup classics. Want to know which ones are in this piece? Read and find out!
1999 Cricket World Cup (super six stages): Prasad's day out!
Date: June 8
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
Result: India won by 47 runs
The fixture came admist backdrop of border tensions between these two neighbours. Passionate fans filled up the Old Trafford stands creating an atomosphere that England would never ever have imagined. India won the toss and elected to bat getting off to a decent start scoring 95 for 1 in 20 overs. Sachin departed for a well made 45 but aftr his departure the run rate dipped and India was reeling at 158 for 4 in the 40th over. A late onslaught from Azharuddin and Robin Singh hitting 60 runs off the last nine overs saw India reach 227. Dravid top scored with 61 runs, while Azharuddin scored 59. In reply, Saeed Anwar showed some ominous signs hitting six boundaries in his 36-run innings, but Prasad took the center stage getting the important wickets of Salim Malik, Saeed Anwar, Moin Khan (34 in 37 balls), Inzamam-ul-Haq, and finally captain Wasim Akram. Srinath played the second fiddle claiming the wickets of Shahid Afridi, Ijaz Ahmed and Abdul Razzaq. Both the seamers bundled out the Pakistanis for 180 winning the tie comprehensively for India.
Highlight of the Match: Sachin Tendulkar's celebrations, raising his arms in joy after catching Moin Khan, who was playing a vital knock, at the deep fine-leg boundary off Prasad.
Man of the Match: Venkatesh Prasad for his brilliant bowling performance of 5 for 27.
2003 Cricket World Cup (Group stage): Innings of a lifetime
March 1, 2003, the stage was set for another mouth-watering clash at the Centurion. The jam-packed stadium was entertained to the core by the innings of a lifetime by a genius who fought like an intrepid warrior for his country. This was the first clash between arch-rivals since June 2000 and yes it was a cracker of a match! Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat, a classy innings of 101 from 126 deliveries from Saeed Anwar saw the men in Green gain the upper hand in the middle overs and a late onslaught from Younis Khan and Rashid Latif helped them reach a competitive total of 273. The total seemed more threatening taking into account the bowling attack that Pakistanis possessed with the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar and Abul Razzaq. But as Tony Greig famously said "There is Tendulkar, then there is daylight, and then there is the rest". The little Master tore apart the opposition as he unleashed an array of stupendous strokes. His wagon wheel had equal contributions on both sides of the wicket. His mind boggling cover drives, cuts, pulls and perfectly timed flicks were just breathtaking. He scored 98 from 75 deliveries with twelve hits to the fence and one over it and set up the match beautifully for the middle-order batsmen, Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid. He was playing through pain as he suffered cramps but carried on bravely until he received a snorter from Akhtar in the 28th over but by then a victory had been beautifully set up and it required some finishing touches from Yuvraj and Dravid to finish off the Pakistanis.
Highlight of the Match: Tendulkar's classy third man six, stupendous leg-flick and a spectacular on drive, all in Shoaib Akhtar's first over was the highlight of the match, an over in which he reminded the bowler who the king was!
Man of the Match: Sachin Tendulkar for his breathtaking knock of 98 off 75 deliveries.
For World Cup classics part 1 click here
For all the action on the ICC World Cup 2011 click here
Do you think India vs Pakistan is the mother of all battles?
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