Top World Cup rivalries: Battles fought on the cricket field

Summary:

Expect your heart to skip a few beats as rivalries account for moments of jubilation for one while despair for the other.
The history of cricket is marked with rivalries, stretching across multiple generations of players and teams, which make the sport all the more interesting. The intense competition between the cricket teams is not only limited to the players, coaches and the management but is perhaps felt most gravely by the countless ardent fans of cricket around the globe. The rivalries stemming from several sources, whether geographic proximity or social and political issues, are often on the hook for either creating a friendly competition or leading to crucial violence between the rival teams. Episodes of fighting, sloganeering and rioting amongst the fierce rival teams have recurrently turned up during the series of matches.
Despite the risks, the team owners usually stir up rivalries as they improve the game attendance and television ratings for the rivalry matches. Most of the rival matches make a show of age-old family feuds for capturing strong emotions, moments of jubilation and despair, and instances leading to chaotic and exuberant fan fights. No matter if the teams overlook the prejudice to submerge emotions; the public from either side will keep them adrift.
However, precisely it is these rivalries which have given birth to legends in the field of sports and have taken their names to the heights of glory and fame.

India v Pakistan Rivalry

India and Pakistan rivalry is perhaps, the first one that strikes the mind when conversing about top cricket rivalries. Undisputedly, India Pakistan matches have all that is required to keep a typical fan at the edge of his seat. From Javed Miandad’s last ball six to win the match to Misbah-ul-Haq scooping Joginder Sharma off the final ball of the match, the clashes between India and Pakistan continue to leave behind a fascinating impact.
Reports reveal that a clash between the two countries usually racks up around one billion viewers. India and Pakistan's national cricket rivalry has been dubbed by The New York Times as "distilled and deepened with an extra dose of hostile geopolitics and the passions of 1.4 billion people."
The contest between the two sides is always a toilsome roadway for the people of subcontinent. The mutual enmity dates back to the partition of India in 1947. The first Test between the two sides occurred in the year 1951. Having fought three major wars and pitted against each other several times in the Cricket World Cup, India Pakistan matches still strike one as being a matter of life and death for the respective people in both countries. It is so challenging that sometimes the qualifying match gives an impression of the final contest for the common public. So far, India has been dominating during the World Cup cricket matches between the two sides.

1992 Cricket World Cup
4 March 1992

The match was played at Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, Australia on March 4, 1992. India won easily when Pakistan lost their eight wickets for 68 runs.
This was the first World Cup encounter between the two countries. The contest was also marked with verbal exchanges between India and Pakistan due to the wicket-keeper's over-optimistic appeal for a leg-side catch by Miandad. After the umpires made their report, match referee Ted Wykes asked the tour managers to sort matters out.

1996 Cricket World Cup
9 March 1996

The match played at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore inspired high passions which steamed up back in Pakistan when India won by 39 runs. According to reports, a fan shot his television and then himself in Pakistan. Moreover, Wasim Akram’s effigy was burned in reaction to the allegations of bribery hurled at him for deliberately withdrawing from the match. Jadeja played a decisive role by scoring 45 from 25 balls while Pakistan was punished by a slow over-rate by the deduction of an over. Pakistan made 113 runs in the first 15 overs putting itself way ahead of India until Prasad grabbed two more wickets and gradually the score rate tripped up.

1999 Cricket World Cup
8 June 1999

In the midst of crisis between India and Pakistan whose armies were engaged in a stand-off over Kashmir, there was a fear of chaotic fight between the supporters of the two sides and hence, the security was intense. The match took place in Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, England on June 8 in the year 1999. There were three arrests, nine ejections and also one Indian flag was burned during some major tussles between the supporters. Saeed Anwar had set a target of 228 runs with six fours. Pakistan’s position weakened when Prasad took over grabbing five for 27. His victims were Salim Malik, Anwar, Moin Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq and finally the captain Wasim Akram. Pakistan suffered a defeat as India won the match by 47 runs.

2003 Cricket World Cup
1 March 2003

This match between India and Pakistan was the first clash since June 2000 and remained the most talked about match of the tournament. Held at Centurion Park in South Africa on March 1, 2003, the match was marked by some vivid and memorable stream of shots by Shoaib Akhtar. Also, Tendulkar played an astounding innings which could undoubtedly be recognized as one of his best in one-day internationals. On the whole, it was a batman’s match started by Saeed Anwar who made a century full of dexterous shots. Finally, Dravid and Yuvraj maintained India’s World Cup record i.e. four wins out of four against Pakistan. India won by 6 wickets and its win guaranteed progress and tapped the door further open for England.

2011 Cricket World Cup
30 March 2011

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 2nd semi-final match was played between the arch-rivals India and Pakistan at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali on March 30, 2011. India won the match by 29 runs and entered the 2011 Cricket World Cup Final. India was elected to bat first as it won the toss and made 260 runs in 50 overs for 9 wickets. Pakistan made a good start, however failed to make the target score with just 231 all out in 49.5 overs.
The match was also termed as a war between the two rivals. It was attended by celebrities, diplomats and Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan along with a huge crowd at the stadium. It was reported that at least three people including a Pakistani actor died out of shock after Pakistan lost the match.

Australia v England

The fierce cricketing rivalry between Australia and England has stormed since 1877. During that time, Britain was world’s greatest power. The rivalry is amongst the oldest, elongated, toughest and the most challenging battles in the world as it spans several sporting disciplines.
The test cricket series played by England and Australia is termed as The Ashes. The two nations play every two years with the winners claiming the most acclaimed trophies in sport, the Ashes urn. The matches are either held in England or Australia alternately and consist of a series of five test matches continuing for five days.
The history of the battle between England and Australia is that of conquerors against colonials and is often known as a tussle between intransigent fathers and impudent sons. The heated up rivalry was born out of the idea of English being the upper-class snobs and Australians, disreputable convicts. Although, through the passage of time, the Australians have thrown out the inferiority complex, the legacy still sticks around.
The match between the two rivals has always been an unpredictable affair starting from the Victorian years when Australia was an initial growing team. At that time, any victory by Australia was considered a brickbat to the imperial power of English. The term Ashes itself was coined out of sporting tension between the two nations. The first ever defeat for the English cricket team on their home soil in 1882 was followed by a satirical note in the newspapers stating that English cricket had died and the “Ashes” of their body would be cremated and taken to Australia.
The rivalry is littered with incidents of passionate patriotism paving way for violence and hooliganism on the field or exchange of abusive and angry words in the dressing room. The England-Australia rivalry is hence, continuing from past 136 years

1975 Cricket World Cup
18 June 1975

The semifinal between Australia and England took place at Headingley, Leeds, England on June 18, 1979. The best World Cup performance was demonstrated by the bowler, Gary Gilmour who took six for fourteen as England were bowled out for 93. Australia was initially suffering a dramatic collapse falling to 39/6 before Gilmour brought them victory in a moving all-round performance. Australia won the match by 4 wickets. The excited crowd rose to Gilmour and the former West Indies captain, Jeffery Stollmeyer, named him Man of the Match.

1979 Cricket World Cup
9 June 1979

The match between Australia and England was held at Lord’s in London on June 9, 1979. Reportedly, all the tickets were sold before the match and the stadium was packed with a crowd of 25,000 cricket enthusiasts. The meeting of England and Australia once again had produced high expectations and excitement. Australia won the toss and was elected to bat first. The cricket started with the opening pair of Hilditch and Darling withstanding the England aggression for eighty minutes making 56 runs from 21 overs. However, Australia collapsed completely after Border edged a catch to Taylor. England needed only 160 to win. During the match, Gooch was at the top of his form and made England’s victory possible. England won against Australia by 6 wickets.

1987 Cricket World Cup
8 November 1987

Australia and England were pitted against each other in the 1987 Cricket World Cup Final on November 8 in Eden Garden, Kolkata, India. Australia won the toss and was hence, the first to bat. David Boon proved a gem for the Australian team scoring 75 runs from 125 balls. Australia set the target for 253 runs. The England team replied by scoring almost on target when captian Mile Gatting handed back the initiative with the loss of his wicket. England ultimately failed to make the last 17 runs from the final over and the World Cup thus, went to Australia. Australia won by 7 runs.

1992 Cricket World Cup
5 March 1992

The England Australia match on March 5 in 1992 was played at Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia. The old enemy coming together once again in the World Cup had created an enthusiastic crowd where each respective side demanded a win. The astounding performance by Botham stopped the Australian innings in its track and made England’s victory just a formality. Botham claimed four wickets for no runs in seven balls and Australia were 155 for eight. Australia had taken only 16 from their last nine overs so the only hope for them was to grab some wickets. However, failing to do so led to England victory by 8 wickets.

2003 Cricket World Cup
2 March 2003

Australia and England met again at St. George’s Oval, Port Elizabeth in South Africa on March 2, 2003. This match between the two rivals produced only 412 runs but it was a contest involving massive excitement and enthusiasm. It started well for England as Marcus and Knight scored 66 runs from 62 balls and the crowd waved the flag of St George at St George’s Park. However, Bichel’s bowling and the fall of four wickets in three overs blew out the frenzy of the English crowd. Michael Bevan and Andy Bichel with a striking performance put on 73 runs in 12 overs for the ninth wicket to get home with just two balls to spare. Australia won the match by only 2 wickets.

Australia v South Africa

One may conclude that Australia cricket team is generally everybody’s rival for being so amazingly perfect. South Africa and Australia have battled almost in all the sports. The first team to beat Australia from South Africa was the Proteas in 2008. The series was incredibly good and led to a marvelous victory which further intensified the rivalry between the two nations. Australia won against South Africa in 2011 which was another memorable meeting between Australians and South Africans with the Australian team making over 300 runs to win the test match.

1992 Cricket World Cup
26 February 1992

The contest between Australia and South Africa was played at Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia on February 26 in 1992. South Africa had played their first Test in Australia in 1910 and last in 1963. Fielding by South Africa received universal appreciation. On the other hand, Australians bowled and fielded untidily as they were unable to make a mediocre score of 170. The team was further shook by the loss of Healy. South Africa’s victory by nine runs secured them congratulatory messages from President F.W. de Klerk and ANC leader Nelson Mandela.

1999 Cricket World Cup
13 June 1999

Held at Headingley, Leeds in England on June 13, 1999, this contest between the two countries was indeed a thrilling one which saw a huge crowd cheering for their own side. Having been defeated twice before, this match was a do or die for Australia. South Africa batted first and secured up to 271 runs despite the return to form of Warne who was in his full form. Gibbs made South Africa’s only century of the tournament and the second of his own career. It is said that during the heated contest, Waugh told Gibbs who was prematurely celebrating victory that “You’ve just dropped the World Cup”. Near the end, though Australia was given a hard time by Donald and Pollock, the momentum carried them on, finally making the victory possible for Australia by 5 wickets.

1999 Cricket World Cup
17 June 1999

This semifinal clash between Australia and South Africa was not only the best match of the tournament but was quoted as the best one-day international of all the matches played so far. It was an epic all the way through where both teams were all out for the same score. It was because of this tie that South Africa failed to reach the final despite struggling through the early stages. Australia finished higher than South Africa and was determined by the run-rate to beat the rival team. The result of the match left millions of spectators completely baffled.

2007 Cricket World Cup
24 March 2007

This match between the two rivals was played at Warner Park Stadium in Saint Kitts and Nevis on March 27, 2007. Australia successfully scored 377 for 6 which was a target set up by Mathew Hayden’s fastest World Cup century and South Africa on the other hand, made 83 runs. After first ten overs South Africa was still playing well having scored 73 without losing any wickets. It was a thrilling game until Kallis gave Hogg the charge after which the game was buried. Kallis made 48 in an innings where South Africa was in the need to score at 7.56 rate overall. After that it was matter of tiding up the mess and Australia did that by bowling out South Africa for 294. It rained sixes and fours throughout the match. Gilchrist and Hayden paved way for Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke. Third-wicket partnership came at a good point took up the game to 161 runs and also Ponting scored 91. South Africa ultimately wasn’t able to defend the Australian attack for the fifty overs and Australia succeeded in winning the battle by 83 runs.