How Winning by 59 run instead of 60 Destroyed Pakistan's Hope of becoming Back 2 Back Asian Champion
Summary
TLDRIn the 2004 Asia Cup, India and Pakistan faced off in a virtual semi-final match that became a turning point for both teams. Despite India's significant loss, they managed to secure a bonus point, which later proved crucial. The match highlighted the intense rivalry and the dramatics of cricket, with Pakistan's Mohammad Sami experiencing a rollercoaster of performance and luck. Ultimately, India's strategic play and a single bonus point led to Pakistan's surprising elimination from the tournament, despite their victory over India, adding a layer of complexity to the already fierce competition.
Takeaways
- 🏏 India's cricket team faced a significant defeat against Pakistan in a virtual semi-finals match of the Asia Cup, being all out 59 runs away from the target.
- 📅 The match took place on 13th March 2004, marking India's first tour to Pakistan after a gap of 15 years, which was seen as a hopeful step towards normalizing relations between the two countries.
- 🔥 The series was highly competitive and tense, with both teams and public opinion on both sides of the border invested in the outcome.
- 🤔 Despite security concerns and a history of poor performance in Pakistan, the Indian team was determined to win, reflecting the deep-seated rivalry and desire for victory.
- 📉 Both India and Pakistan were struggling with their performance leading up to the series, with each team experiencing losses and setbacks.
- 🔝 Pakistan's resurgence was led by the emerging fast bowling duo of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami, who were seen as the new lethal combination for the team.
- 🔄 An interesting pattern emerged where Pakistan's success seemed inversely proportional to Mohammad Sami's performance, adding a layer of complexity to the team's strategy.
- 🏹 In the Asia Cup, India adopted a strategic approach to secure a bonus point by setting a more achievable target, showcasing their adaptability and tactical acumen.
- 🎯 Mohammad Sami's performance in the final over was pivotal, with his bowling accuracy and pressure situation handling becoming the focal point of the match's climax.
- ⚖️ The unique tournament format of the Asia Cup, with its bonus point system, played a crucial role in determining the final standings and the team's progression to the finals.
Q & A
What was the significance of the cricket match between India and Pakistan on 13th March 2004?
-The match on 13th March 2004 was significant because it marked India's first tour to Pakistan after a gap of 15 years, and it was seen as a potential step towards normalizing the frozen relationship between the two nations. It was also a virtual semi-finals of the Asia Cup, where Pakistan, the defending champions, could become back-to-back Asian champions by winning.
Why was the India-Pakistan cricket series in 2004 considered particularly intense?
-The series was considered intense due to the historical rivalry between the two nations, the political tensions, and the fact that it was the first time India was touring Pakistan after a long gap. The series was promoted with themes of 'war on the pitch' and 'time for revenge,' which heightened the anticipation and intensity.
How did the Pakistani team's performance prior to the Asia Cup affect their morale?
-Before the Asia Cup, Pakistan's performance was lackluster, including an early exit from the World Cup and losses in other series. However, their victory against New Zealand, winning a test series after a decade, seemed to have revitalized them and set the stage for a potential comeback in the Asia Cup.
What was the pattern observed during the India-Pakistan series regarding Mohammad Sami's performance and Pakistan's wins?
-An interesting pattern observed during the series was that Pakistan's luck seemed to be inversely proportional to Mohammad Sami's form. When Sami performed well, Pakistan lost, and when he performed poorly, Pakistan won, which was quite peculiar given his role as a key bowler.
Why was India's victory in the Pakistan soil a significant achievement in the 2004 series?
-India's victory in Pakistan was significant because it was their first-ever series sweep in Pakistan, which was a major upset given the historical dominance of Pakistan in their home conditions. This victory was a major boost to India's morale and a testament to their improving cricket team.
What was the unique tournament format of the Asia Cup that affected the match outcomes?
-The Asia Cup had a unique format where six teams were divided into two groups, with four teams qualifying for the Super 4s. A bonus point system was in place, which awarded an additional point to the team scoring more than a predetermined bonus point margin, making the competition more complex and strategic.
How did Shoaib Malik's performance in the Asia Cup match against India impact the game?
-Shoaib Malik's performance was pivotal as he scored 143 runs, which was a monumental achievement on a ground where the highest score was 191. His innings took Pakistan to a score of 300, setting a challenging target for India and ultimately leading to Pakistan's victory.
What was the strategy adopted by the Indian team when they were chasing the target in the Asia Cup match against Pakistan?
-The Indian team, realizing the impossibility of winning, adopted a strategy to secure the bonus point by reaching a revised target of 241. They played cautiously, focusing on not losing wickets and ensuring they reached the bonus point target, which was part of a larger strategy to qualify for the finals.
Why did the Indian team's strategy in the Asia Cup match against Pakistan involve giving up on the main target?
-The Indian team's strategy involved giving up on the main target to secure the bonus point, as they calculated that even if they lost the match, getting the bonus point would keep them ahead of Pakistan in the tournament table, given the complexities of the bonus point system and the remaining matches for both teams.
How did Mohammad Sami's performance in the final over of the Asia Cup match against India affect the outcome?
-Mohammad Sami's performance in the final over was crucial. Despite bowling well and getting two leg byes and a stumping opportunity, the umpire missed a crucial decision, and a dropped catch led to India securing the bonus point. This one bonus point ultimately made the difference, leading to Pakistan's elimination from the tournament despite having a higher net run rate.
Outlines
🏏 The Turning Point: India vs Pakistan in the Asia Cup
This paragraph sets the stage for a pivotal cricket match between India and Pakistan during the Asia Cup in 2004. It highlights the historical context of the rivalry and the significance of the match, which was not just a sports event but also a symbol of the political tensions between the two nations. The narrative focuses on the unusual situation where India's loss to Pakistan was celebrated, marking a significant moment in the cricketing history of both countries. The paragraph also touches upon the broader implications of the series on the relationship between India and Pakistan, suggesting that the matches were seen as more than just games but as a form of diplomatic engagement.
🔥 The Strategy and Drama of the Deciding Match
The second paragraph delves into the tactical aspects of the series-deciding match, where India, led by the aggressive batting of Virender Sehwag, aimed to secure a victory against Pakistan. It discusses the role of Mohammad Sami, a key player for Pakistan, whose performance seemed to inversely affect his team's success. The paragraph also outlines the strategic decisions made by the Indian team, particularly focusing on the need to secure a bonus point to advance in the tournament. The narrative captures the tension and drama of the match, highlighting the high stakes and the intense competition between the two teams.
🏉 The Final Over: A Test of Nerves and Skill
The final paragraph recounts the climax of the series with a focus on the last over of the match. It describes the pressure and the high-stakes situation where every run and every wicket counted. The narrative follows the Indian team's struggle to reach the target, with the Pakistani bowlers, particularly Mohammad Sami, displaying exceptional skill and accuracy. The paragraph culminates in the tense final moments of the match, where a series of close calls and missed opportunities lead to a surprising and dramatic conclusion. The summary captures the emotions and the significance of the match's outcome, which not only determined the tournament's finalists but also had a profound impact on the teams and their fans.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Asia Cup
💡Defending Champions
💡Cricket Diplomacy
💡ODI (One Day International)
💡Test Match
💡Bowling
💡Batting
💡NRR (Net Run Rate)
💡Bonus Point System
💡Shoaib Malik
💡Chasing
Highlights
India's unexpected loss to Pakistan in a crucial Asia Cup match led to a unique celebration.
The match was a virtual semi-final, with Pakistan as the defending champions aiming for back-to-back titles.
The series was seen as a potential diplomatic thaw in the strained relationship between India and Pakistan.
Indian players were warned of security concerns that might cancel the tour, but were determined to play.
Pakistan's cricket team was in a slump, having been eliminated early from the World Cup and losing key series.
The emergence of the Pakistani bowling duo Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami was a significant development.
An unusual pattern emerged where Pakistan's success seemed inversely proportional to Mohammad Sami's performance.
India's first-ever test victory in Pakistan and a series sweep marked a historic moment.
The Asia Cup introduced a unique tournament format with a bonus point system that complicated team strategies.
Shoaib Malik's aggressive innings of 143 runs against India in the Asia Cup was a game-changer.
India's strategy to放弃追求主要目标以确保获得额外积分,显示了他们的战术灵活性。
Sami's performance in the final over, with two leg bys and missed stumping opportunities, was pivotal.
India's nail-biting win by one run, securing the bonus point, had significant implications for the tournament standings.
Pakistan's defeat despite a higher net run rate and victory over India was a dramatic turn of events.
The match's outcome highlighted the importance of the bonus point system in determining tournament progression.
Transcripts
There was a time
when India actually lost a match to
Pakistan
and the whole of India celebrated
and it wasn’t even a small loss
we had nearly been all out
a full 59 runs away from the target
in a virtual semi finals of the
Asia cup
An Asia cup
where Pakistan were
the defending champions
And by winning this
They could become
back to back
Asian champion
So today
We are gonna hear the story
of what exactly happened
of how Pakistan
in spite of defending
India in virtual semi finals
saw themselves get booted out
from a place in the finals
13th March 2004 was the date
where India
after a gap of 15 years
Was going to tour Pakistan
in some people’s eyes
This series was seen as hope
Hope
that this cricketing diplomacy
Could help normalizing
the frozen relationship
Between this 2 neighbours
but
a single look
at the promotions
surrounding this series
Would have made it very clear
There wasn't going to be anything
friendly
About this series
war on the pitch
time for revenge
to even that peculiar Pepsi Ad
& it wasn’t just the public mind you
In the run up to the series
When the Indian players were told
That security concerns
might get this tour cancelled
Nearly half the members of the team
spoke in opposition
Staunchly stating
that they did not want
to miss the opportunity
Of beating Pakistan
In Pakistan
Now those
were big words
especially given the fact
That we had not even won
A single test match
in Pakistan by this point
And ODIs weren’t much better
In 20 years of playing history
we had won just 3
And that’s not even going into
the weird slump
the team seem to be in
losing three finals in a row
along with getting defeated
three times at home
now if there was to be some
silver lining to all of this
it was that Pakistan
seemed to be doing
as bad as India
first,
they get thrown out of the world cup
in group stages itself
followed by losing the finals of
the BA cup
and
losing a series to South Africa
at Home
now thankfully
This humiliation
seemed to have jolted them awake
As they would respond to this
By defeating New Zealand
in New Zealand
Winning a test series there
after a full decade
And the main architects
Behind their resurgence
their newly made Main Pacers duo
Shoaib Akhtar
and Mohammad Sami
Ever since the old lineup
Wasim and Waqar
had been sidelined
The Pakistani team
had been looking for a new lethal combo
And this
29 and 21 year old pair
together
had the necessary pace
To put fear into
any opponents they wanted
and though this series
would be the first time
they were to be the main attack
on such a large stage
in the media eyes
this series
was to be a battle
between the Pakistani bowling
And the Indian batting
but then
The moment this series actually started
There was a very interesting pattern
That seemed to be developing
For some reason
Pakistan’s luck
Seemed to be in inverse proportion
To Mohammad Sami’s form
if Sami does well
Pakistan loses
and if Sami does badly
for some reason
Pakistan keep on winning
let me show you with an example
In a first ODI
While having a mediocre outing
Sami Strikes twice in the 48th over
to keep the final tally
within Pakistan’s reach
But then
In spite of having 4 wickets in hand
And needing 24 in 18 balls
Pakistan go on to lose the match
The second ODI
is a bit of an outlier
Sami performs well
Pakistan wins
But the third
On a pure bowling pitch
Sami
performs
abysmally
Their worst bowler by a mile
and Pakistan wins the match
And then
in the last 2 matches of the series
Sami seemingly
angry with his last matches performance
Goes on to put a bowling
exhibition
Holding a beautiful line
Taking out well set batsmen
time and again
And Pakistan loses
both of the matches
Sami even after becoming
the highest wicket taker of this ODI series
Sees his team
lose a series to India
For the very first time at home
Now if you are think
I’m making a mountain out of a molehill
that all of this can be just a coincidence
then let me take you through
the test series once
were a dangerous looking Sehwag
is demolishing
the entire Pakistani attack
the only bowler giving him trouble
is Saqlain Mushtaq
and then while playing on 68
Sehwag tries to hit him to dig mid wicket
were Sami has been put
for that exact shot
and he drops it
Sehwag goes on to score India's first
triple century
and Pakistan go on to lose that match
by an inning
now put in contrast
the second test was this one
were in spite of bowling on a perfect pacer's pitch
Sami and Shoaib Akhtar
can't seem to hold a line
and Umar Gul comes in
and tears to the Indian line up
and so
we come to the final match
The series deciding match
Where Pakistan
After being reduced
to 137 for 8
have Sami
coming forward as a batsman
Creating a 70 run partnership
That sees him nearly complete his
half century
and then he follows that up
by coming out and bowling
3 extremely hostile spells
and the reward he gets for this
an absolutely plumb LBW of Dravid
Not being giving
Followed by having a simple catch to Yasir Hamid
dropped
Resulting in dravid
Going on to score a masterful 270
Taking India to mammoth 600
A total
that hands India the match
by an inning and 131 runs
Not only had India won
their first victory in Pakistani soil
But they had done so
by completing a series sweep
so you can imagine
The amount of abuse
this Pakistani team
was gonna get
and what would make things even worse
was that this
was to be the last series
of this season
meaning
that Pakistani public
now had months and months
to marinate in their anger and resentment
anger
that was quickly directed
to the Pakistani team
and their two main bowlers
so by the time the break was about to end
And the asia cup was about to start
The whole of the Pakistani team
Had become desperate
Desperate
to get some revenge for their country
Afterall
What better way
to show their mettle to their nation
then to become back to back
Asian champions
but it was here
that they were gonna run into
a bit of problem
cause this tournament
put in place
a unique tournament formats
6 teams in 2 groups
4 teams qualify in the super 4s
where a bonus point system
would make things complicated
now suppose
Team A scores 300 runs in the first inning
Then based on the total
A bonus point margin is to be given
For this example
Let's say that the margin is 250
now
if Team B
is all out
before reaching 250
them Team A
get's the 5 winning points
plus one bonus point
but if
Team B
Manages to cross that 250 mark
Then even if they lose the match
They will get one point
meaning irrespective of who wins
There will always be 6 points at play
5 for the winning team
And 1 based on the bonus point margin
Now when this rule was made
nobody was expecting it to be a big deal
Afterall With Sri Lanka's form
coming into this tournament
and it being played at their home
they were the outright favourites
they were supposed to defeat
each and every team in the super fours
and credit is where credit is due
things went according to plan
Sri Lanka first defeating
Bangladesh and Pakistan
with India defeating Bangladesh
but then
as soon as the India Pakistan match started
A virtual semi finals
things took an unexpected turn
Shoaib Malik
Someone
who had this point of time
just averaged 27
now
would Suddenly decided
to emulate Sehwag
a near blind
onslaught on Indian bowlers were started
not giving a care
whether he got out or not
edges after edges were given
regulation stumping missed
an through all of these lifelines
he somehow managed to last
Nearly the entire 50 overs
on a ground
where in that tournament
the highest score posted was 191
Shoaib Malik
had single handedly scored 143 runs
taking Pakistan to a monumental
300 runs
now if this wasn't bad enough
Sami's first over was
to go for 10 runs
Meaning he was gonna have a bad day
Meaning....
Sehwag got out in the second over
Ganguly tried to stabilize the inning
but even he departed
Followed by Dravid on 94
By the time
yuvraj and kaif
made their way backback to the pavilion
India
still had half the runs to go
with Sachin and Irfan Pathan
being the only batsmen left
so frankly speaking
The writing was on the wall
There was
no saving this match
And so
Ganguly and the coach John Wright
Came up with a plan
If we try to go after the main target
the moment Sachin gets out
we lose
any chance getting to the bonus point
and if don't get the bonus point
then Pakistan will have
the same amount of points
India has
by the end of this match
but whereas Pakistan's next match
is against Bangladesh
we
were to play
the unbeaten Sri Lanka
who had somehow
not even considered
a single bonus point
and in case
just in case
we're able to defeat them
and get a bonus point
then both Sri Lanka and Pakistan
already
have a much higher NRR than us
so in spite of
everybody being on the same points
we
would be the most likely one
to get knocked out
so
the highest chances
of actually making up to the finals
were to give up on this match
give up on this match
and just make sure
that you get the bonus point
and then just try your level best
to defeat Sri Lanka the next match
that way
even if you don't get the bonus point there
Pakistan cannot touch us anymore
and this strategy
quickly found support across the board
the new target
was 241
241
that's 90 runs
in 21 overs
and so we had
all of a sudden
test match being played
In the middle of an ODI
Over after over
Dot after dot
especially doing this was Irfan pathan
who had that point of time
had gone above 30 just once
in his entire career
It looked as if
He had fevicoled himself to the crease
Simply refusing to move from there
Now Pakistan
would quickly on to this tactic
but initially
they would just allow it to happen
because afterall Sachin was there
and they had to make sure
that India had no chance
of actually winning
but there after
once they were sure
they too
switched the tactic
they are not trying to score
so forget about the runs
just start targeting the stumps
force them to play
get them out
on the other hand
we also had Sachin
who had to make sure
that their required run rate
for the bonus margin
does not go out of hand
and these two situations
came together
to take Sachin's wicket
in the 42nd over
with India requiring just 27 runs
from 42 balls
something
should have been a breeze
by any stretch of the imagination
however
Indian cricketing history
is rife with examples after examples
of chases
in tournaments much more important than this
had been quickly squandered
the moment Sachin got out
and here
Sachin getting out
made the Pakistani bowlers
who in spite of winning the match
were looking as if
the wind has been knocked out of them
suddenly
seeming to get a new life
beginning to act the tail enders
with a new found vengeance
and all of a sudden
even the bonus match in target
started looking difficult
the Pakistani Pacers
were bowling with such accuracy
such lethality
that even getting a single run in an over
seemed to be
an extremely difficult prospect
the gap between the balls and runs was
quickly depleting
Bhajji fell quickly
so that Kumble come close
Irfan Pathan would
try his level best
to protect the bowler on the other end
but even his brave defence
would come to an end
when in the 49th over
with India needing 8 runs out of 8 balls
he fell
Balaji would take a risky double
on the last ball of the over
bringing the total down to six for six
and the much more experienced Kumble
to take the strike on the last over
and bowling to him
with the aim
of shutting down
all Indian hopes
taking revenge
for everything that he had been through
you had
Mohammad Sami
And I know what you are asking
How exactly
was Sami bowling
till this point in this match ?
Well, Let's get the answer
From the last over itself
The first ball
A Dot
the second ball
a dot again
The third
A desperate Kumble with a wild swing
that somehow connects
for a four
two required
from 3 balls
Now normally
You would expect the baller
to get frustrated
especially Sami
who had been through so much
but frankly speaking
he must have gotten used to it
by this point
Luck was never on his side
When india was standing against him
So he just seem to shrugged it off
and once again
bowled a perfect ball
two required
in 2
and then
came the ball
that was gonna change the entire
complexation of this match
a near perfect ball once again
hits the pads
The batsman go for a desperate leg by run
ball is already in Moin Khan's hand
and he misses
one run
in one ball
what happens next
frankly
after saying so much
for so long
I’m just gonna let the tape run
and let you feel
what sami must have felt
in that moment
two perfect balls
two leg bys
2 perfect stumping opportunities
and India
Reaches the target
By losing by 59 runs instead of 60
They had gotten the bonus point
And as you can imagine
That one bonus point
in the end
made all the difference
Sri Lanka for the first time
in this entire tournament
lost to India
wherein the final table
looked something like
this
Pakistan
In spite of having
a much higher NRR than India
in spite of defeating India
had lost on on the finals
The months long humiliation of Pakistan
had finally
been completed
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