An India versus Pakistan match without a big stage is an event itself. When these teams face each other in the World Cup, the event becomes a festival!
And that is exactly what happened on March 1, 2003 when Pakistan took on India at Centurion. Pakistan had been struggling through the world cup under the captaincy of Waqar Younis. To add to this pressure was the history that India had never lost to Pakistan in a World Cup match. India had been enjoying an incredible run of form coming into this key match. Although India had already made it to the semi-final, it was important for them to win to maintain the momentum. The stage was set…
Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat. A fine start with India's nemesis Saeed Anwar hitting top form saw them race to 58 in the 11th over when Zaheer Khan finally struck to remove Anwar's partner, Taufeeq Umar. Others came and went, but the batting revolved around Saeed Anwar who looked like he was in the team only to play against India. A rather fruitful partnership with Yousuf Youhana (now Mohammed Yousuf) that yielded 73 runs put Pakistan in a strong position. Anwar, unfortunately, fell for 101 at the start of the 41st over.
Rashid Latif and Wasim Akram, however, ensured that the good work did not go waste as they brought about a strong finish to the innings. Pakistan had rattled up a defendable 273 for 7. For India, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra bowled with fire and got the wickets, but Nehra was far too expensive conceding 74 runs in his 10 overs. Dinesh Mongia's innocuous looking left-arm spin accounted for the dangerous Shahid Afridi for just 9 or who knows where the total would have ended up!
Despite the score Pakistan had racked up, most fans were quietly sure of India's success. First, history was in their favour and second, they were in the middle of one of their best runs in ODI cricket. So the moment Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag walked in to bat, everyone knew this was something special. But the Pakistan bowling was a formidable pace attack with Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar and Abdul Razzaq as the support cast.
Often, one strong batsman is left stranded because the partner at the other end does not have the stomach to take up the challenge. But Virender Sehwag ensured the momentum stayed with India as he himself cut the Pakistan bowlers all over the place including one hoick over point for six! India had raced to 53 in just the 6th over when Sehwag fell to the guiles of Waqar. Having replaced Akhtar, he sent on down that swung just a little late and Sehwag fell to a good catch by Afridi.
Some more Waqar brilliance accounted for the Indian captain Sourav Ganguly off the next ball. Waqar spent an eternity setting up his slip cordon 'just right' and then sent down a vicious inswinger that Ganguly had no answer to. Caught plumb in front, Ganguly had to go and India was in a bit of bother at 53 for 2. But Mohammed Kaif was promoted above Rahul Dravid and he did not let the team down. Taking his own time to settle down, he played the second-fiddle role to perfection.
At the other end, it was perfection personified as Tendulkar went about decimating the Pakistan bowling with consummate ease. He finally fell to Shoaib Akhtar, but it had more to do with an injury that had put him in a lot of pain. A rising delivery caught the shoulder of Tendulkar's bat and it looped to backward point. A second mistake was not going to happen.
