When India and Pakistan take to the Adelaide Oval on Sunday to begin
their 2015 Cricket World Cup campaigns, a global television audience of 1
billion is expected to be tuning in, making it the most watched cricket
match of all time. The numbers alone make every other sporting rivalry
around the world pale into insignificance. For many in India and
Pakistan, not lifting the World Cup trophy next month will be tolerated,
as long as their fierce rival is defeated.
In terms of history in the showcase event for cricket’s 50-over
format, the form is emphatically on the side of India. While Pakistan
lead the way overall in one-day internationals between the two
cricket-mad nations, 72 to 50, in the five times they have met at World
Cups -- 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2011 -- India have come out on top on
each occasion. Yet Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni insists that
record has no bearing on this latest, highly anticipated contest.
“The only thing that matters is you have to answer a lot of questions regarding that,” he said, reports ESPN. “Apart from that, it doesn't really matter."
There will be one notable difference this time around -- for the first time there will be no Sachin Tendulkar. For more than two decades, the batting great was the inspiration for India, not least against their bitterest foes, having been named man of the match in three of the five World Cup matchups between the nations.
India do still come into the tournament as defending champions, and with the star now passed from Tendulkar to Virat Kohli. But his recent form and that of India is less than encouraging. Last month they failed to win any of their four matches in the Tri-Series against Australia and England.
“The only thing that matters is you have to answer a lot of questions regarding that,” he said, reports ESPN. “Apart from that, it doesn't really matter."
There will be one notable difference this time around -- for the first time there will be no Sachin Tendulkar. For more than two decades, the batting great was the inspiration for India, not least against their bitterest foes, having been named man of the match in three of the five World Cup matchups between the nations.
India do still come into the tournament as defending champions, and with the star now passed from Tendulkar to Virat Kohli. But his recent form and that of India is less than encouraging. Last month they failed to win any of their four matches in the Tri-Series against Australia and England.
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