The rivalry: A look back at India and Pakistan's World Cup face-offs

The India-Pakistan rivalry is arguably one of the biggest in cricket history. Over the years, the two teams have fought hard and produced some of the best classics.

In World Cup cricket, the two countries never faced each other in the first four editions. Their first face-off in a World Cup game was in 1992 in Australia. However, since then, barring 2007 when both teams were eliminated in the first round, India and Pakistan have played each in every World Cup.

Thus, with the two teams all set to battle it out for the seventh time in World Cup history, let’s relive all the previous six encounters.

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#1 Group Stage, Sydney – 1992

The first-ever time when these two sides clashed in a World Cup fixture, it was a 19-year-old Sachin Tendulkar playing his first World Cup. Batting first, India got off to a decent start but wickets at regular intervals hampered their momentum.

However, Tendulkar, who walked in to bat at No. 5, held firm. He scored 54 off 62 balls to help India get to a decent 216. Mushtaq Ahmed was the star for Pakistan with the ball as he picked up three wickets while Aaqib Javed took a couple.

In reply, Pakistan faced the excellent spells from Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabhakar. However, the stand between Aamir Sohail and Javed Miandad put Pakistan back on track. It was Tendulkar again who came into the limelight as he broke the partnership by dismissing Sohail for 62.

Thereafter, Pakistan kept losing wickets at regular intervals. In the end, a collective bowling performance from India helped them trounce Pakistan by 43 runs.

#2 Quarter-final, Bangalore – 1996

For the second successive World Cup, India faced Pakistan and this time it was in a big quarter-final game. Pakistan were the defending champions but the pressure was on both the sides. India won the toss and opted to bat first.

They got off to a solid start with Navjot Singh Sidhu and Sachin Tendulkar putting up a 90-run opening stand. Thereafter, India lost wickets at regular intervals as most batsmen threw away good starts.

However, Sidhu scored a fine 93, missing out on his century. Just when it looked like India might end up with a par score, Ajay Jadeja’s cameo of 45 from 25 balls propelled India to a total of 287.

Pakistan replicated India’s start and the openers were firm. However, once Javagal Srinath got the first wicket of Saeed Anwar, India took control of the game. Anil Kumble and Venkatesh Prasad took three wickets each while Srinath and Sunil Raju picked up one each.

India won the match by 39 runs.

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#3 Super Six, Manchester – 1999

It was another low-scoring encounter but yet an exciting one. Batting first, India were off to a sedate start but built the innings slowly but solidly.

There were contributions throughout the batting order but they never got the kick and hence, ended up with 227. Rahul Dravid scored 61 while skipper Mohammad Azharuddin scored 59. Barring Saqlain Mushtaq, all other bowlers contributed well for Pakistan.

Chasing a modest total, Pakistan never got going. They lost wickets at regular intervals and never seemed in the hunt. There were a couple of 30s and a 40 but none of the Pakistan batsmen could get anything substantial.

Venkatesh Prasad starred as he picked up a five-wicket haul while Javagal Srinath and Anil Kumble chipped in with the other wickets as Pakistan were bowled out for 180.

This was India’s only win in the Super Six stage of the 1999 World Cup.

#4 Group Stage (Pool A), Centurion – 2003

In the 2003 match, it was the first time in World Cup that Pakistan got to bat first against India. Saeed Anwar set the tone upfront as he scored a brilliant century.

However, other batsmen didn’t really get going and it was only Rashid Latif who scored a quick 25 which helped them get to a quite decent 273.

Chasing almost 5.5 runs an over, Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag came out all guns blazing. The duo added 53 in no time. However, Waqar Younis’ double strike put the pressure back on India.

But Tendulkar didn’t stop as he continued thrashing the rivals. Midway through his innings, the master suffered cramps and hence, it did hamper the flow. In the end, he missed out on a well-deserved ton as he was dismissed for 98.

When Tendulkar was dismissed, India still needed 97 runs to win. Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid put up a decent partnership and India won the match with over four overs to spare.

#5 Semi-final, Mohali – 2011

Arguably, one of the most iconic India-Pakistan ODI games has to be the semi-final clash in the 2011 World Cup. The atmosphere was electric as high-profile dignitaries from both countries attended the game.

India batted first once again and got off to a solid start. Virender Sehwag scored 38 off just 25 balls while Sachin Tendulkar looked firm at the other end.

However, Wahab Riaz’s wonderful spell brought Pakistan back into the game. Tendulkar kept going strong from one end and Pakistan paid the price for dropping him on multiple occasions. A flourish from Suresh Raina in the end helped India put up a decent 260.

With runs on the board in a big-pressure game, India had a par score. But Pakistan started well. The openers put on 44 before Zaheer Khan gave India the first breakthrough.

But it was the wicket of Mohammad Hafeez, who was batting well, that turned things around. From then on, India kept picking wickets and never really allowed Pakistan to control the chase.

All the Indian bowlers picked up two wickets each as India beat Pakistan by 29 runs for the fifth consecutive time in World Cup cricket.

#6 Group Stage (Pool B), Adelaide – 2015

India and Pakistan started their 2015 World Cup campaign with this high-profile clash. MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to bat first on what looked like a good batting track at the Adelaide Oval.

Virat Kohli, who wasn’t in the best of forms in white-ball cricket in the lead-up to this game, responded with an authoritative ton. He scored a superb 107 setting up the game for India. Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina who batted either side of Kohli contributed with 70s as India posted 300/7.

Chasing a slightly above par total, Pakistan got off to a steady start despite losing Younis Khan early. However, three wickets in the span of eight deliveries derailed the chase and there was barely any chance of a comeback from there.

In the end, the ‘Men in Blue’ registered an emphatic victory (by 76 runs) as they continued their dominance over Pakistan in World Cups.