Cricket and politics go hand in hand in cricket especially when it comes to the match between India and Pakistan. The recent world cup match, in which India was thrashed by Pakistan, has sparked a strong discussion about nationalism on both sides, with certain self-appointed custodians like India’s spineless trolls questioning national pride while Waqar Younis and his Islamic fanaticism are questioned.
But the older days are different!
People could truly enjoy Pakistan’s victory without having to justify their patriotism back in 1999 when the nation has a different environment. And that happened in our very own Chennai, a city that analysts have praised for having a most sensible population on several occasions.
A classic example of honour in defeat
On the fourth day of the first Test between India and Pakistan in Chennai on January 31, 1999, the Indian side who is the host of the match was at 254/6. Saqlain Mushtaq bowls and Sachin Tendulkar bats on 136. India needed 17 runs to win, and Pakistan needed four wickets to win. It was anyone’s game, the audience was nervous, and the game was on the verge of being decided.
There has been a lot of activity in the last several days. Pakistan has risen from 91/5 to 238. India scored 254 before Pakistan’s collapsed from 275/4 to 286 runs. India was in trouble at 82/5 when Sachin and Nayan Mongia helped them out. As all of the Indians begged for Sachin to carry the trophy home, the game had reached a stage where it was on an even keel.
However, fate had other ideas. Sachin’s badly timed hit off Saqlain produced an easy catch for skipper Wasim Akram, resulting in a catastrophic collapse. India was dismissed for 258 after losing four wickets for four runs. Pakistan triumphed by 12 runs, making it a memorable victory for both sides of the border. The finest portion of the game, though, was yet to come.
The Chennai fans appreciated what a fantastic game it was and how brilliantly Pakistan had performed to win. The spectators stood in perfect harmony to give the Pakistani players a standing ovation as they took a victory lap. The travellers won hearts thousands of miles away from their nation as supporters celebrated and praised their victory. There’s no patriotism here; it’s simply cricket.
It is still remembered as a watershed event in cricket, if not all sports. The Indian audience had won Pakistan’s respect, and the Indian fans agreed that their opponents deserved to win. It was a fantastic Test and a thrilling contest.