Apart from cricket, an India-Pakistan encounter is often filled with interesting, perhaps iconic incidents.
When it comes to political relations, India and Pakistan are far from friends, but when it comes to cricketing relations between the two countries, things are lot more friendly.
After a nine-month break, one of the greatest rivalries in cricket is poised to resurface. Cricket fans all around the world have been kept away from the high-octane action between India and Pakistan, and the hype for the giants is enormous.
India, the defending champion, will try to defend their title and continue on the path that would lead them to the World T20I, which will be played in Australia later this year.
This year's Asia Cup will be played in a 20-over format, and all competing Asian nations will get a taste of what the World Cup may have in store for them.
Apart from cricket, an India-Pakistan encounter is often filled with interesting, perhaps iconic incidents. Lets revisits some famous high intense rivalry between India- Pakistan.
1. Tera room number kya hai - Javed Miandad asked Dilip Doshi
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Javed Miandad, a Pakistani star, was known for his sense of humor and ability to unsettle opponents with his unique banter. Former Indian left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi remembered an instance in which Miandad repeatedly inquired about his room number.
Elaborating on the incident, the former player said:
"When you restrict him from playing his shots, he would try to get you off your concentration… That day what he was trying to do in Bangalore on my recall Test. He was asking me, ‘Tera room number kya hai? (what is your room number?) I wanna hit you there’. It became a legendary thing, many people have repeated that, with some added spices, but it’s fine, it was all in good banter”, he added.
2. Beta beta hota hai aur baap baap hota hai – The Sehwag-Shoaib banter
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This tale is told almost every time an India-Pakistan match is scheduled. Virender Sehwag shared a story at an award ceremony a few years ago about Shoaib Akhtar bowling bouncers at him all the time during a game. The quick bowler, he claims, challenged him to hook his bouncers. Sehwag responded by saying he needed to bowl a bouncer to Sachin Tendulkar, who was batting at the other end. During the award ceremony, Sehwag told star Shah Rukh Khan about the event, saying:
"(I told Akhtar) Woh tera baap khada hai wo non-striking end pe, uss ko bol woh mar ke dikhayega. Non-striker end pe Tendulkar tha. Next over mai jab usne Tendulkar ko bouncer mara toh usne chakka mara, maine kaha beta beta hota hai aur baap baap hota hai (I asked Akhtar to bowl a bouncer to Tendulkar, who hooked him for a six).”
3. The famous Gautam Gambhir-Shahid Afridi banter (2007)
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This battle between the two former cricketers will be remembered as one of the most intense among players from opposing teams. It all began when Gambhir smashed a boundary off Afridi. The bowler was irritated and said something to Gambhir, who then purposefully clashed with Afridi. This sparked a heated confrontation between the two players at the non-end, striker's prompting umpire Ian Gould to step in and call a timeout.
4. Gautam Gambhir-Kamran Akmal (2010)
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Gambhir was embroiled in another verbal brawl, this time with Kamran Akmal from the 2010 Asia Cup encounter. Gambhir was fortunate to avoid a stumping and being caught behind against Pakistan's offspinner. The umpire overturned Kamran Akmal's passionate appeal from behind the stumps.
During the drinks break, Gambhir approached Akmal for bringing a bogus appeal against him, sparking a heated argument between the two batsmen. The umpires attempted but were unable to resolve the dispute. Finally, it was MS Dhoni who drew Gautam Gambhir aside and instructed him to keep his calm, effectively ending the brawl.
5. Tujhe pata hai tune kiska catch chhoda hai? - Wasim Akram to Abdul Razzaq
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The 2003 World Cup match between India and Pakistan at the Centurion remains one of cricket's most famous clashes between the two arch-rivals. Saeed Anwar's exquisite century helped Pakistan reach 273 for seven before Sachin Tendulkar's 98 and an unbeaten 94-run partnership between Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh enabled India win by six wickets.
Things may have turned out differently if Abdul Razzaq had taken a catch provided by the Indian star when he was in his 30s. The Indian opener miscued Wasim Akram towards mid-off in the eighth over. However, Razzaq was not near the outer edge of the circle when the ball was thrown over him. The fielder got a hand on the ball but couldn't hold on long enough to complete the catch.
After Razzaq put down the chance, Akram screamed at the fielder and said, “Tujhe pata hai tune kiska catch chhoda hai?
6. Harbhajan Singh – Shoaib Akhtar (2010)
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In the same Asia Cup game in 2010, Shoaib Akhtar attempted to sledge Harbhajan Singh as the game neared its conclusion. The game had come down to the wire, with India needing 36 runs from the final four overs. Shoaib Akhtar returned to bowl the 19th over after being struck for runs in the 47th over of India's innings. He bowled him a bouncer and also gave him a mouthful.
Harbhajan Singh had the last laugh as he hit a six to secure the game for India in the 50th over delivered by Mohammad Amir and yelled in the direction of Shoaib. The 2010 Asia Cup was eventually won by India.
7. Sohail on 1996 World Cup face-off with Prasad
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One of the most memorable events in India-Pakistan cricket is Venkatesh Prasad's send-off of Aamir Sohail during the 1996 World Cup quarterfinal in Bengaluru. During the game, after striking a four, Pakistan's opener signaled to the Indian medium-pacer that he would bash him again. Prasad, on the other hand, got his retribution the very next ball, destroying the left-hander.
When Sohail revisited the incident, he asserted that no words were spoken between the two players, and that the incident was exaggerated.
