India and Pakistan don’t play bilateral cricket anymore (for reasons beyond the sport), but 25 years ago, the two sides combined to play a one-dayer as a single unit.
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In February 1996, ahead of the Wills World Cup, Australia and West Indies expressed their reservations in travelling to war-torn Sri Lanka for their tournament fixtures. Australia’s opening match was set to be held in Colombo – the capital city which had witnessed a bomb explosion just the previous month – while West Indies were set to face the hosts a week later.
Co-hosts Pakistan and India then came together in solidarity, fusing to form a dream team called the Wills India and Pakistan XI. The message was clear: top stars from both teams were ready to feature in the 40-over warm-up match against Sri Lanka in Colombo and clear any doubts over players’ safety.
The two teams hadn’t played bilateral cricket since 1989/90 but were willing to help their neighbours Sri Lanka, who were set to face immediate financial repercussions if Australia and West Indies pulled out. According to Ana Punchihewa, the then Lankan Cricket Board chief, the losses would “run into millions”.
A day before the start of the World Cup, then, the ‘Wills Solidarity Cup’ saw a combined India-Pakistan XI, led by Mohammed Azharuddin, take on Arjuna Ranatunga’s Sri Lankan side. It had some dream combinations: Sachin Tendulkar and Saeed Anwar opened the batting, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis bowled in tandem with Anil Kumble, while the Sri Lankan crowd at the R Premadasa stadium witnessed it all.
Batting first, Sri Lanka managed 168-9 in 40 overs, with Anil Kumble ending with figures of 8-1-12-4 which eventually won him the Player of the Match award. The opposition spinners, Muttiah Muralitharan and Upul Chandana, then picked up a couple of wickets each, but India-Pakistan cruised home following notable contributions from each of their batsmen.
Despite the show of strength, Australia and West Indies did not change their stance. Sri Lanka won a walkover in their matches against both teams. Interestingly, both Australia and West Indies faced each other in the semi-final in Chandigarh, with Sri Lanka eventually winning their maiden World Cup title.
As a bonus, here are some visuals from the historical game:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsHJ7QL9DLY&ab_channel=MainakSinha
