India vs Pakistan, World Cup 2023: From Javed Miandad's six to Sachin Tendulkar's 98, six memorable ODIs

The storied rivalry between India and Pakistan will resume on Saturday when the arch-rivals face each other at the 2023 ODI World Cup match in Ahmedabad.

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Although, the two teams haven’t locked horns in bilateral series in the last decade due to political tensions, India and Pakistan have been regularly facing off in ICC and ACC tournaments.

India and Pakistan have met on seven occasions in the ODI World Cup, with the Men in Blue emerging victorious on all occasions. Their last meeting in the quadrennial showpiece event was in 2019 in Manchester, when Rohit Sharma’s century helped India clinch an 89-run win in a rain-interrupted game.

From that Javed Miandad six to Sachin Tendulkar’s fighting knock of 98, India-Pakistan rivalries have produced unforgettable memories and some close finishes. Here, we take a look at six such incidents ahead of the blockbuster clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium:

Miandad six (18 April, 1986 – Sharjah)

Javed Miandad’s last-ball six at the desert venue arguably remains the most dramatic ODI outcome between the two sides as Pakistan clinched a one-wicket victory.

Pakistan needed 246 to win in 50 overs and Miandad walked in at 61-3 to hit an unbeaten 116 off 114 balls.

With four needed off the final delivery, Indian fast bowler Chetan Sharma bowled a full toss and Miandad blasted the ball into the crowd to trigger wild celebrations among the Pakistan team and fans.

Miandad was later presented with a golden sword for his heroics.

Imran stings (22 March, 1985 – Sharjah)

Imran Khan’s best bowling figures of 6-14 were in a one-day international against India but for the flamboyant Pakistan fast bowler it was all in vain.

Imran ripped through the Indian batting line-up at Sharjah to send the opposition packing for 125.

But Pakistan’s own batting imploded, skittled for just 87 with Ramiz Raja, top-scorer with 29, one of only four batsmen in double figures.

Imran, a former Prime Minister who now languishes in jail over corruption charges he denies, was still the man of the match in the low-scoring battle.

Jadeja fires (9 March, 1996 – Bangalore)

India’s Ajay Jadeja blasted a 25-ball 45 in a late blitz that helped India knock out holders Pakistan in a highly-charged World Cup quarter-final.

Jadeja was severe on Pakistan’s Waqar Younis as he hit the pace bowler for four fours and two sixes in the final few overs to propel the total to 287-8.

In reply, Pakistan were sailing along when opener Aamir Sohail smashed India’s Venkatesh Prasad for a boundary before sledging his opponent.

But Venkatesh got the left-handed batsman bowled on the next ball to bring the house down and Pakistan lost their way to lose by 39 runs.

Ganguly ton (18 January, 1998 – Dhaka)

Sourav Ganguly hit a match-winning century to trump Saeed Anwar’s 140 in a deciding best-of-three final of Bangladesh’s Silver Jubilee Independence Cup in Dhaka.

Ganguly’s knock of 124 was laced with 11 fours and one six as India chased down their victory target of 315 with one ball to spare.

The left-handed Ganguly was named man of the match but lesser-known Hrishikesh Kanitkar stole the show in the end when India needed three on the final two balls and he hit a boundary on the penultimate delivery.

The chase was a world record at the time.

Tendulkar rules (1 March, 2003 – Centurion)

Sachin Tendulkar won many matches for India but his 98 against Pakistan at the 2003 World Cup remains special due his duel with fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.

Tendulkar stood tall in his 75-ball knock that guided India in their chase of 274 against a Pakistan bowling line-up boasting Wasim Akram, Waqar and Akhtar.

He uppercut one of Akhtar’s express deliveries to a delightful six over third man – a shot that became iconic in Tendulkar’s career.

Akhtar later got Tendulkar’s wicket but the damage had been done and India won by six wickets.

Zaman special (1 June, 2017 – London)

Pakistan came in as underdogs in the Champions Trophy final, but stunned India by 180 runs with a top performance riding on a sparkling century by Fakhar Zaman.

Zaman’s 114 off 106 balls and a 128-run opening stand with Azhar Ali guided Pakistan to a mammoth 338 for four and deflated Virat Kohli’s India at the Oval.

The left-hander clobbered the Indian attack, including fast bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, hitting 12 fours and three sixes.

Pakistan’s bowlers then came firing and dismissed India for just 158 in 30.3 overs despite Hardik Pandya’s 76. Fast bowler Hasan Ali took 3-19.

With inputs from AFP