In one of the most iconic moments in the history of the game, arch-rivals India and Pakistan fielded a combined XI for an exhibition match against Sri Lanka in 1996 at Colombo. The famous Premadasa Stadium witnessed global icons Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Akram, Saeed Anwar, and Mohammad Azharuddin being a part of a star-studded XI that played a memorable tie against hosts Sri Lanka.
The cricketing world was in for a treat when India and Pakistan decided to set aside their fierce rivalry for a day and create a dream team that showcased the finest talents from both nations. This exhibition match was more than just a game; it was a symbol of sportsmanship and camaraderie.
Batting legends Tendulkar and Anwar opened the innings in the unusual match against the likes of Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas. The sight of these two legends walking out together to bat was a surreal moment for cricket enthusiasts worldwide. Their partnership was a display of pure class and talent.
Interestingly, the Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar also showcased his versatility by helping Wasim Akram in taking the crucial wicket of the dangerman Romesh Kaluwitharana. Akram, who was at the peak of his powers in the late 90s, displayed his sheer brilliance as a bowler. His ability to swing the ball both ways left the Sri Lankan batters baffled.
Speaking to FoxCricket ahead of the 2023 edition of the ICC event, former Pakistan skipper Akram selected his playing XI that featured players only from India and Pakistan. The legendary fast bowler picked Tendulkar as the No.3 batter and slotted run-machine Virat Kohli into the fifth position in his lineup. However, Akram snubbed current captains Rohit Sharma and Babar Azam from his Indo-Pak playing XI.
"Number three, the great man, Sachin Tendulkar. Hundred international hundreds, can't go wrong. Number four is…very difficult to pick. I have Mohammad Yousuf, Babar Azam, Javed Miandad, Zaheer Abbas, Misbah-ul-Haq, Inzamam-ul-Haq, and another great from India - Rohit Sharma. It's difficult not to pick Rohit. But at four, I'm going to go with Javed Miandad because of the way he batted and how he assessed situations and he was a gun fielder in his heyday," Akram explained.
Picking two quality all-rounders in his playing XI, Akram hailed former India skipper Kapil Dev as his hero. The former Pakistani pacer named legendary all-rounder Imran Khan as the captain of his dream XI.
"Number five, I'll go with Virat Kohli. You can't just not have Virat Kohli in the playing XI as a selector. Number six, it's Imran Khan for me, batting at number six and skipper obviously. And then, of course, another great, one of my favorite persons, my hero - Kapil Dev," the former Pakistan pacer added.
Akram selected ex-India skipper MS Dhoni as the wicketkeeper before picking spin icon Saqlain Mushtaq as the only spinner in his starting eleven. "Nobody can beat this team," he concluded.
Wasim Akram's combined India-Pakistan ODI XI
- Saeed Anwar 2. Virender Sehwag 3. Sachin Tendulkar 4. Javed Miandad 5. Virat Kohli 6. Imran Khan (C) 7. Kapil Dev 8. MS Dhoni (WK) 9. Saqlain Mushtaq 10. Jasprit Bumrah 11. Waqar Younis.