Bengaluru, Feb 6: Pakistan are relieved that batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar will not feature in their match against arch-rivals India in the ICC Cricket World Cup at the Adelaide Oval on February 15. [Flashback: India lead 5-0 over Pak in WC encounters]
It will be the sixth encounter between the two Asian sides in the quadrennial tournament. India won all the five matches played so far between 1992 and 2011 and Tendulkar was a part of each of those matches. In fact, he was adjudged the man of the match in three of those five matches.
World Cup Special; Tournament Guide
Navjot Singh Sidhu and Venkatesh Prasad were the men of the match in the remaining two matches.
Tendulkar had played his first World Cup in 1992 and it was his unbeaten half-century that saw India beat Pakistan by 43 runs in difficult batting conditions.
Don't mind losing to India if Pakistan win the cup, says Inzamam-ul-Haq
Former Pakistani cricket captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, who had played a crucial role in his side's winning the trophy in 1992, said he wouldn't mind losing to India if Pakistan ended up as the champions. The batsman, who retired in 2007, was perhaps feeling nostalgic about Pakistan's winning the World Cup in 1992.
The side led by Imran Khan had lost to India in the league stage but went on to lift the title in Melbourne after beating England.
Haq also felt that India would have an advantage over Pakistan for they have already spent some time in Australia and have adjusted to the conditions.
Tendulkar was adjudged man of the match in three WC encounters against Pak
The batting legend hinted that India will have a an advantage over Pakistan having spent so much time in Australia in recent months. Haq also praised Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and said India would do well under his captaincy.
Haq, who was 22-year-old in 1992, hammered a 37-ball-60 in the semi-final against favourites New Zealand in that edition to take Pakistan to their first-ever World Cup final.
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