India vs Pakistan: Friendship Cup 1998 (Part Five)

Feb 23, 2022

India vs Pakistan: Friendship Cup 1998 (Part Five) Image

With Pakistan having already won the series, the two teams were playing for pride in the fifth ODI of the 1998 Friendship Cup at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club on the 20 September.

Not that matches between India and Pakistan are anything but hotly contested, and this proved to be no exception. For this match alone, Sachin Tendulkar and Ajay Jadeja were flown across halfway the world, from Kuala Lumpur.

India won the toss and, this time, decided to bat. They lost Sourav Ganguly and Navjot Sidhu early, but with Tendulkar making his first appearance of the series, they had added some stell at the top of the order. 

He put on 121 for the third wicket with captain Mohammad Azharuddin before falling for 77 off 109 balls, with nine fours. Azharuddin then took on the responsibility of scoring largely by himself, but lacked one reliable partner.  He eventually fell to Saqlain Mushtaq for 101, having faced 111 balls, and struck a six and 10 fours.

The rest of the batters then added 43 between them as India finally reached 256/9. With four wickets, Saqlain was the most successful Pakistan bowler, but he was expensive, conceding 67 in 10 overs.

It was a competitive target, but Saeed Anwar and Shahid Afridi gave Pakistan a fast start. And when Afridi went for 10, Anwar and his captain Aamer Sohail shared a stand of 118 for the third wicket.

Anwar was eventually leg-before for 83, having struck 10 fours. India’s hopes were briefly raised when Inzamam-ul-Haq fell next ball.

But Sohail and Saleem Malik calmed Pakistan's nerves with a partnership of 46. After Malik fell for 25, Sohail guided his side towards the finishing line, with 10 balls and five wickets in hand.

Sohail finished unbeaten on 97 with three sixes and seven fours to be named Player of the match. Inzamam’s consolation for his duck was in being adjudicated Player of the Series.

And that meant Pakistan had won the series by four matches to one.