India Pakistan matches have always been high voltage clashes, with tempers from both sides sometimes boiling over. Ahead of their showdown in Champions Trophy Final on Sunday, here are some of the most memorable matches when Indian and Pakistani players had a go at each other.
When Miandad mimicked More
Indian wicketkeeper Kiran More angered Pakistan’s mercurial Javed Miandad at the 1992 World Cup in Sydney with constant appeals for a dismissal. Miandad looked furious when More at one stage appealed for a run out, leaping up and down the pitch. Miandad turned towards More and the two exchanged sharp words. The next ball, More flipped the bails off when Miandad was clearly in. The Pakistani imitated More by jumping up and down in one of the most comical moments in international cricket.
India won the group match, but Pakistan won the title.
Prasad’s perfect send-off
In their 1996 World Cup quarter-final in Bengaluru, Pakistan opener Aamer Sohail aggressively went after India’s opening bowlers. He brought up his 50 at more than a run a ball and celebrated with a blistering four off Venkatesh Prasad. As the ball raced to the fence, Sohail mocked Prasad, pointing to the region with the bat as if to say, “Go fetch”. Sohail tried to repeat the slash off the next ball but was bowled. It was Prasad’s turn to hit back, with the bowler appearing to mouth “Go home, you f****** bastard”. India won the match but went out to eventual winners Sri Lanka in the semi-final.
Gambhir, Afridi sledgefest
Pakistan’s tour of India in 2007 is remembered for Indian opener Gautam Gambhir and Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi nearly coming to blows during a one-day international in Kanpur. Gambhir hit Afridi for a four and a verbal joust followed. The next ball the players collided as Gambhir ran for a single. A heated argument ensued with the players hurling abuse at each other. Afridi recently recalled the spat. He said Gambhir was not the friendliest cricketer around and they wouldn’t be sharing a coffee with him anytime soon.
Kamran Akmal-Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir is known to play his cricket with passion. India-Pakistan games are often high on passion and intensity. The occassion was the 2010 Asia Cup semifinal, and another high voltage India Pakistan clash was on the cards. Akmal made a loud appeal for caught behind which Gambhir didnt like, and the two players had a go at each other.
Then, drinks break was announced, and both the players again came face-to-face, forcing umpire Billy Bowden and Indian captain at the time, MS Dhoni to intervene and separate the two players. At one point it did seem as if both players will start exchanging blows, luckily, common sense prevailed.
Harbhajan Singh-Shoaib Akhtar
This was the same game in which Gambhir and Akmal clashed, the match was at knife’s edge when Harbhajan came into bat. Shoaib Akhtar was bowling the second last over, and had bowled a couple of dot balls, and he decided to have a go at Harbhajan.
Mohammed Aamir was to bowl the final over, and Suresh Raina was dismissed and it looked Pakistan had won the match, however, Harbhajan surprised everyone by smashing a huge six off Aamir to win the game for India, and he decided to have a go at Akhtar.
Let’s hope the final will be as exciting as it is expected to be.
