leonidas_alexandar
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As anticipation is slowly but surely reaching fever pitch for the upcoming Ind v Pak clash on October 14th - I wanted to share my experiences as an Indian fan over the entire ODI history of Ind v Pak decade wise.
DECADE 1 - 1971 to 1980.
PLAYED 3 WON 1 LOST 2.
I was not born in that decade but it is interesting to note that while India won the first ever ODI match between India and Pakistan - Pakistan did end up winning the series itself setting stage for their dominance in the next two decades.
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DECADE 2 - 1981 to 1990.
PLAYED 31 WON 9 LOST 20 NO RESULT 2.
Although I was born in the middle of this decade I had not watched a single game since I was too young. So my experiences are limited to really reading the historical records. Clearly this is the decade where Pakistan truly stamped their ODI dominance over India.
FAMOUS INDIAN WINS
The glitzy 1985 final of the Benson & Hedges World Championship Of Cricket at the end of which Ravi Shastri famously won his Audi. India and Pakistan clashed twice including in this final and both times India prevailed.
And then there is this match in Sharjah in 1985 Rothmans four nation cup where India got bowled out for 125 and actually ended up winning that match by skidding Pakistan out for just 87 runs. Must have been a crazy game. And this remains the lowest score defended by either country playing against each other.
PAINFUL INDIAN LOSSES
Final of the Austral-asia Cup in 1986 which has now been immortalized by "that" Javed Miandad six where he grabbed a victory from defeat's jaws.
Now it is critical to mention that till this match - India actually had a superior record over Pakistan by 7-5 (in that particular decade) and then this Miandad match spelled doom for India since- as you can see that by the time the decade ended Pakistan ended up winning 20 against a mere 9 Indian wins.
There was this tour by Pakistan to India in 1987 where Pakistan crushed India 5-1 in a 6 match ODI series. Must have been a painful experience for Indian fans to watch Pakistan repeatedly beat the home team on Indian soil.
Just glad that there was no social media then to rub salt into Indian wounds.
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DECADE 3 - 1991 to 2000.
PLAYED 51 WON 19 LOST 30 NO RESULT 2.
This is the decade when I started watching cricket and this is the most painful decade for me as an Indian fan vis-a-vis ODI matches against Pakistan are concerned.
FAMOUS INDIAN WINS
Undoubtedly the 1996 World Cup quarterfinal against Pakistan in Bangalore has to be the most famous Indian win in that decade. India was fairly trudging along till Ajay Jadeja decided to unleash in the final overs and then who can forget the scare Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar gave the Indian fans in their chase before India won the match fairly easily in the end.
1998 Bangladesh Silver Jubilee Independence Cup Final. Pakistan scored 314 and India created a then world record in chasing that mammoth score. It was a nerve wracking final and perhaps the first time I saw India win in a game of nerves against Pakistan. I remember this series for Sachin's blistering starts at the top of the order and Saurav Ganguly's emergence as the first player which gave Indians hope even after Sachin got out early in a run chase.
PAINFUL INDIAN LOSSES
While Pakistan did win several matches -there's that particular series where Pakistan came to India for some Pepsi Cup and roundly thrashed India all the 3 times we met which was emblematic of their dominance.
Man, that particular decade symbolized a rampaging Pakistan and a meek Indian team with just Sachin being the silver lining.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DECADE 4 - 2001 to 2010.
PLAYED 34 WON 17 LOST 17.
While the record clearly suggests that there was a 50-50 split in matches won and lost - you have to absolutely understand how life-changing this was for an Indian fan given the insane domination Pakistan had over India till then. The fact that India could go toe to toe with Pakistan and win games was testament to the massive transformation not only in the Indian team but the Indian fans' expectation whenever these two teams met.
The emergence of Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, Harbhajan, Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Zaheer Khan etc., - players who were so unlike 90's Indian players who exhibited a degree of meekness especially when playing against Pakistan.
FAMOUS INDIAN WINS
For me undoubtedly the match that set the stage for Indian assertiveness against Pakistan was the famous 2003 Centurion World Cup match remembered for Sachin's onslaught chasing a more than decent score that Pakistan set for India to win.
Even writing this makes me feel pinch myself but the fact that India went to Pakistan twice - once in 2004 and in 2006 and both times won the ODI series 3-2 and 4-1 respectively showcases how remarkable these results were given how the previous decades went.
In the 90's I used to think India would probably never win an ODI series in Pakistan in my life time and the fact that India won back to back series on their visits to Pakistan was just amazing and unbelievable.
PAINFUL INDIAN LOSSES
In 2005 when Pakistan visited India for a 6 match series - India led 2-0 and ended up losing the series 4-2 on the back of a sensational comeback by Pakistan. Reminded me of glimpses of Pakistan's never say die attitude from the 80's and 90's.
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DECADE 5 2011 - 2020.
PLAYED 13 WON 9 LOST 4.
Finally the decade when the Indian team had a definite and a clear edge over Pakistan. It is just a shame that they only played 13 games as opposed to the frequent series between these two teams in the decades prior.
FAMOUS INDIAN WINS
2011 Mohali World Cup semi-final - the biggest Indian win over Pakistan - for not only that fact that it was a high pressure semi-final but India ended up winning the World Cup itself which made this semi-final win that much more sweeter.
PAINFUL INDIAN LOSSES.
For me it was of course the Champions Trophy 2017 final. As an India fan I did not see that coming at all and not only did we lose but we lost pretty comprehensively.
DECADE 6 2021 - 2030.
PLAYED 2 WON 1 NO RESULT 1.
Of course this was the most recent Asia Cup match where India trounced Pakistan by a record 228 run margin.
What are your memories of famous wins and painful losses in each decade?
DECADE 1 - 1971 to 1980.
PLAYED 3 WON 1 LOST 2.
I was not born in that decade but it is interesting to note that while India won the first ever ODI match between India and Pakistan - Pakistan did end up winning the series itself setting stage for their dominance in the next two decades.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DECADE 2 - 1981 to 1990.
PLAYED 31 WON 9 LOST 20 NO RESULT 2.
Although I was born in the middle of this decade I had not watched a single game since I was too young. So my experiences are limited to really reading the historical records. Clearly this is the decade where Pakistan truly stamped their ODI dominance over India.
FAMOUS INDIAN WINS
The glitzy 1985 final of the Benson & Hedges World Championship Of Cricket at the end of which Ravi Shastri famously won his Audi. India and Pakistan clashed twice including in this final and both times India prevailed.
And then there is this match in Sharjah in 1985 Rothmans four nation cup where India got bowled out for 125 and actually ended up winning that match by skidding Pakistan out for just 87 runs. Must have been a crazy game. And this remains the lowest score defended by either country playing against each other.
PAINFUL INDIAN LOSSES
Final of the Austral-asia Cup in 1986 which has now been immortalized by "that" Javed Miandad six where he grabbed a victory from defeat's jaws.
Now it is critical to mention that till this match - India actually had a superior record over Pakistan by 7-5 (in that particular decade) and then this Miandad match spelled doom for India since- as you can see that by the time the decade ended Pakistan ended up winning 20 against a mere 9 Indian wins.
There was this tour by Pakistan to India in 1987 where Pakistan crushed India 5-1 in a 6 match ODI series. Must have been a painful experience for Indian fans to watch Pakistan repeatedly beat the home team on Indian soil.
Just glad that there was no social media then to rub salt into Indian wounds.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DECADE 3 - 1991 to 2000.
PLAYED 51 WON 19 LOST 30 NO RESULT 2.
This is the decade when I started watching cricket and this is the most painful decade for me as an Indian fan vis-a-vis ODI matches against Pakistan are concerned.
FAMOUS INDIAN WINS
Undoubtedly the 1996 World Cup quarterfinal against Pakistan in Bangalore has to be the most famous Indian win in that decade. India was fairly trudging along till Ajay Jadeja decided to unleash in the final overs and then who can forget the scare Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar gave the Indian fans in their chase before India won the match fairly easily in the end.
1998 Bangladesh Silver Jubilee Independence Cup Final. Pakistan scored 314 and India created a then world record in chasing that mammoth score. It was a nerve wracking final and perhaps the first time I saw India win in a game of nerves against Pakistan. I remember this series for Sachin's blistering starts at the top of the order and Saurav Ganguly's emergence as the first player which gave Indians hope even after Sachin got out early in a run chase.
PAINFUL INDIAN LOSSES
While Pakistan did win several matches -there's that particular series where Pakistan came to India for some Pepsi Cup and roundly thrashed India all the 3 times we met which was emblematic of their dominance.
Man, that particular decade symbolized a rampaging Pakistan and a meek Indian team with just Sachin being the silver lining.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DECADE 4 - 2001 to 2010.
PLAYED 34 WON 17 LOST 17.
While the record clearly suggests that there was a 50-50 split in matches won and lost - you have to absolutely understand how life-changing this was for an Indian fan given the insane domination Pakistan had over India till then. The fact that India could go toe to toe with Pakistan and win games was testament to the massive transformation not only in the Indian team but the Indian fans' expectation whenever these two teams met.
The emergence of Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, Harbhajan, Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Zaheer Khan etc., - players who were so unlike 90's Indian players who exhibited a degree of meekness especially when playing against Pakistan.
FAMOUS INDIAN WINS
For me undoubtedly the match that set the stage for Indian assertiveness against Pakistan was the famous 2003 Centurion World Cup match remembered for Sachin's onslaught chasing a more than decent score that Pakistan set for India to win.
Even writing this makes me feel pinch myself but the fact that India went to Pakistan twice - once in 2004 and in 2006 and both times won the ODI series 3-2 and 4-1 respectively showcases how remarkable these results were given how the previous decades went.
In the 90's I used to think India would probably never win an ODI series in Pakistan in my life time and the fact that India won back to back series on their visits to Pakistan was just amazing and unbelievable.
PAINFUL INDIAN LOSSES
In 2005 when Pakistan visited India for a 6 match series - India led 2-0 and ended up losing the series 4-2 on the back of a sensational comeback by Pakistan. Reminded me of glimpses of Pakistan's never say die attitude from the 80's and 90's.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DECADE 5 2011 - 2020.
PLAYED 13 WON 9 LOST 4.
Finally the decade when the Indian team had a definite and a clear edge over Pakistan. It is just a shame that they only played 13 games as opposed to the frequent series between these two teams in the decades prior.
FAMOUS INDIAN WINS
2011 Mohali World Cup semi-final - the biggest Indian win over Pakistan - for not only that fact that it was a high pressure semi-final but India ended up winning the World Cup itself which made this semi-final win that much more sweeter.
PAINFUL INDIAN LOSSES.
For me it was of course the Champions Trophy 2017 final. As an India fan I did not see that coming at all and not only did we lose but we lost pretty comprehensively.
DECADE 6 2021 - 2030.
PLAYED 2 WON 1 NO RESULT 1.
Of course this was the most recent Asia Cup match where India trounced Pakistan by a record 228 run margin.
What are your memories of famous wins and painful losses in each decade?
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