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On This Day In 1996: India beat Pakistan in the 1996 World Cup quarter-final on March 9 in Bengaluru. Navjot Singh Sidhu scored 93 runs, leading India to a 39-run win.
Venkatesh Prasad and Anil Kumble stepped up for the Indian side and scalped six wickets to build some pressure on their arch-rivals. (File pic)
On This Day In 1996: Twenty-nine years ago, on this day, India defeated their arch-rivals Pakistan in a high-octane affair to make the final four of the 1996 Wills World Cup. The quarter-final tie between the two cricket powerhouses was held on March 9 in Bengaluru. The ODI match is most vividly remembered for the nail-biting second innings, where Pakistan’s chase ignited a rollercoaster of emotions.
A star performance from Navjot Singh Sidhu helped the Men in Blue secure a 39-run victory. He scored a 115-ball 93, smashing 11 boundaries. Sidhu was also awarded the Player of the Match for his batting display.
The high-stakes affair was played at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Pakistan were playing their first match in India since the Nehru Cup final in November 1989. It was also the first official match played under floodlights at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
India won the toss and elected to bat first. With Navjot Singh Sidhu firing on all fronts, the Men in Blue posted a formidable total of 287/8. Sidhu and Sachin Tendulkar stitched a 90-run partnership for the first wicket before the little master lost his wicket to Ata ur Rehman.
While India kept losing wickets at frequent intervals, each batter’s decent contribution kept the scoreboard ticking. Ajay Jadeja approached the innings rather aggressively, smashing a quick-fire 25-ball 45. He hit four boundaries and two sixes before Waqar Younis dismissed him.
Pakistan enjoyed a lightning-fast start to their chase in the second innings. They scored 84 runs in the first 10 overs without losing a wicket. Venkatesh Prasad and Anil Kumble stepped up for the Indian side and scalped six wickets to build some pressure on their arch-rivals.
Pakistan eventually finished at 248/9. It was Pakistan’s first defeat to India since the 1992 World Cup and the first on Indian soil since 1987. The match was also Javed Miandad’s final game in the ODI format.
As for India, the Mohammad Azharuddin-led side lost their semi-final clash to eventual champions Sri Lanka.
