Pakistan has never beaten India in an ODI World Cup match. It’s a riddle as to why India has always been winning. Is it luck, the pressure of the match or just a jinx? What the greats have to say:
1992 World Cup
Javed Miandad (played the India World Cup game in 1992 and 1999)
It’s simple: we have been unable to handle the pressure, and that’s why we have lost all seven matches. I have been involved in 1992 and 1996, and both times, we failed to chase down gettable targets.
I remember that we lost the toss. India batted first and made 216-7 in 49 overs. It was not a high total, but because the Indian bowlers bowled tight line and length, it was tough to score runs. We lost two early wickets, but then I had a good partnership, and we frustrated India. Indian wicketkeeper Kiran More started sledding me, and I sort of retaliated. I got distracted and lost my wicket, and from there on, we could not chase the target.
As for the 1996 World Cup, I think the venue was Bangalore in India. When you play in India before a big crowd, they try to pressurize you, and we started that match on the wrong foot. We lost our main bowler and skipper, Wasim Akram, just a few hours from the start, and that affected our bowling. Ajay Jadeja took Waqar Younis on, and India put up a good total. What happened to me in the 1992 match happened to our opener, Aamir Sohail. He lost his cool against Indian fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad. Our batting got derailed, and we lost the match by 39 runs.
1996 World Cup
Wasim Akram (1992, 1999, 2003)
I am unable to find the correct answer. Maybe India handles the pressure better than us. What I learned from such high-pressure games is that you need to be cool and able to handle the pressure well. I have always treated the India match like any other game, but because of millions involved in a Pakistan-India game, it becomes so special.
I think we have been unlucky most of the time. I have been involved in the 1992, 1999, and 2003 games, but the most bitter moment for me was in 1996. I hurt my shoulder while batting in the match against New Zealand. I carried that injury to Bangalore and had to withdraw from the match. I did it in the best interest of my team, but I was accused of wrongdoings. It was tough to return home.
The 2003 match also proved to be an unlucky one for us. We put up a good total of 273 at Centurion but dropped crucial catches, which allowed Sachin Tendulkar to score big and chased down the target. The match was also billed as a contest between Sachin and Shoaib Akhtar. Sachin took on Shoaib and won the contest.
Inzamam-ul-Haq (1992, 1996, 1999, 2003)
I believe batting first is always an advantage, as batters tend to get under pressure while chasing in big games. I can’t find a suitable word to describe what goes wrong when we chase against India, but it’s more like a mental blockage of players.
I think we batted badly in most of the cases. We lost matches in the chase, so that meant that we were unable to handle the pressure of the chase. All the targets in 1992, 1996, and 1999 were achievable, but I think India handled the pressure well. Then, in 2003, I was cruelly out of form. Saeed Anwar hit a hundred, and we managed to reach 270 plus. Our bowling was strong at that time, with Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Shoaib Akhtar on our side, but none could see us through. India did well and were guided towards victory by Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.
Shahid Afridi: (1999, 2003, 2011, 2015)
In my opinion, we lost World Cup matches because we did not handle pressure well on the match day. The same was the case in 2011. It was a largely attended game. I remember that the prime ministers of Pakistan and India were present in Mohali on that day, and a lot of spectators from Pakistan crossed the border and watched the game.
We gave five chances to Sachin Tendulkar, and when you give so many chances to a great player like him, he doesn’t spare you. But we still restricted India to 260, which looked like at least 40 runs short. We started off well but, in the middle of the innings, lost momentum.
After the match, I got to hear a lot of ugly things, and it was frustrating. I had told the players that this semi-final is a matter of great pride and prestige for Pakistan, so they must go all out and do their best. I have no doubt that there was no other reason for the defeat.
Misbah-ul-Haq (2011, 2015)
India posted a big total and bowled really well. We lost our way with three wickets in the middle. The pitch was really good, and with the quality of their batting, 300 was a pretty good effort. If all the batsmen had batted well, it could have been achieved. Two-three batters never got in and got out in the first couple of balls. You can’t say much about that. Now we have to just look forward. You can’t just think of this game.
Sarfaraz Ahmed (2019)
It was bad luck. We tried our level best, but a few run outs and fielding lapses, and then we did not bat well. Rain also broke our momentum.
Waqar Younis
Over the last few World Cups, Pakistan have not won against India. We did well in other formats, we did well in Test matches, but when it comes to World Cups and ODI Cricket, India has always had an upper hand on us. And they deserve it. I think they played better cricket than us.
But some Saturday, Babar Azam hopes Pakistan can break the jinx.
“Records are made to be broken. We broke the T20 sequence of five losses against India in Dubai, so we will do our best effort.
