The Indo-Pak World Cup rivalry began in 1992, with Pakistan dominating individual match-ups until then. In a newspaper article from that time, a writer recalls his grandmother, taking in one such match on TV, wondering who this dasher was, this “Indrajith” with flowing locks and powerful build, who as if by magic, routed India unfailingly. Imran Khan, and subsequently in the 1990s and 2000s, Pakistan’s legion of apparent superheroes — Aaqib Javed, Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi and Saeed Anwar — struck fear in the hearts of the Indian fan.
Only in World Cups did India hold its own, turning the distilled disquiet of its fans into relief and joy. Six times in a row, as it turned out.
For long, in the cup that mattered, the Indo-Pak game had been the match that mattered, providing fans with the crucial input in their emotional arithmetic — defeating the archrival leavened the pain of an early exit. Until in 2011, India did it all, beating Pakistan en route to the triumphant night in Mumbai. Now, like customers used to a certain level of service, the fans will perhaps demand nothing less.
