India and Pakistan have met seven times in the ICC Cricket World Cup, with India emerging victorious on all seven occasions. The streak began in 1992 when they first crossed paths in Sydney. This unparalleled dominance is a record that Babar Azam’s Pakistan side hopes to overturn in their upcoming World Cup encounter in Ahmedabad.
The question that lingers is why? Is it sheer luck, an uncanny ability to win crucial tosses, or something deeper? Is Pakistan more susceptible to pressure on the grand stage?
The Indian victories have been a cause for endless discussions and debates on both sides of the border. Pakistan’s cricketing legend, Wasim Akram, acknowledges the inescapable 7-0 statistic but remains perplexed about the reasons behind the losing streak.
“We played seven games and our neighbouring country reminds us every second day about the 7-0. Frankly speaking, I can’t single out one reason for the losing streak,” said Wasim Akram.
Inzamam-ul-Haq, who found himself on the losing side against India on four occasions during World Cup encounters, points towards pressure as a possible factor in this lopsided rivalry.
“Maybe India handled the pressure better than us on the day of the match, and winning most of the tosses also gave them an advantage,” suggests Inzamam.
Even when Pakistan won the toss on two occasions, their fortunes did not change. Sachin Tendulkar’s brilliance in a chase at Centurion in South Africa in 2003 and Rohit Sharma’s exceptional performance at Manchester in 2019, when India was sent into bat, secured India’s victories.
The 2019 World Cup match proved particularly costly for Pakistan, leading to the removal of Sarfaraz Ahmed from the captaincy.
The rivalry’s unique history is a blend of intense encounters, unforeseen outcomes, and moments of pure drama. It’s worth noting that Pakistan and India never crossed paths in the first four World Cups due to the playing format.
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During the 1987 World Cup, when they were co-hosts, both teams were favourites to meet in the final. However, they were halted in the semifinals.
The first official World Cup encounter between the two cricketing giants happened in 1992 in Sydney. This low-scoring affair is often remembered for Pakistan’s Javed Miandad’s peculiar attempt to mimic India’s wicketkeeper Kiran More by jumping up and down. Pakistan fell short in their chase of a modest 217-run total, losing by 43 runs.
However, the 1992 defeat was soon overshadowed by Imran Khan’s remarkable leadership, leading Pakistan to an astounding recovery to clinch their first and only 50-over World Cup title.
