With Pakistan facing five-time champions Australia in a World Cup 2023 match — at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday (October 20) — it is imperative to look into iconic cricketing rivalry-defining moments between the two sides.
The Green Shirts are coming from a loss against India after winning the initial two matches of the tournament, whereas the Kangaroos are just gaining momentum from their Sri Lanka win after suffering two back-to-back losses in their first two matches of the mega event.
Both teams have produced electrifying performances resulting in nail-biting contests over the years across various formats.
Pakistan fast-bowler Sarfraz Nawaz single-handedly devastated Australia's batting with match-winning figures of 9-86 — with the remaining one wicket being a run-out — to completely overturn a Test match in Melbourne.
Australia were sailing in their pursuit of 382 to win the match when Sarfraz, who formed a superb new-ball partnership with Imran Khan and was one of the earliest to introduce the art of reverse swing, initiated a collapse.
The hosts plummeted from 305-3 to 310 all out, and Sarfraz's spell on the fourth afternoon read 7 wickets for 1 run from 33 balls as Pakistan triumphed by 71 runs.
Australian speedster Dennis Lillee and Pakistani batting great Javed Miandad nearly came to blows during a Test in Perth, marking one of the most unsightly incidents on a cricket field.
Pakistan were in early trouble at 27-2 while chasing 543 for victory when Miandad, the captain at the time, came out to bat. During his knock, he collided with Lillee while taking a run.
Words were exchanged before Lillee kicked Miandad on the pads, to which the captain raised his bat as if to strike the bowler, with umpire Tony Crafter positioned between them.
Lillee was fined and suspended for two ODI matches, but Australian management remained adamant that the bowler had been provoked.
Asif Mujtaba may not have possessed the star power of Miandad during his 66 ODIs for Pakistan, but he will forever be remembered for his last-ball six off Steve Waugh in a tied game.
Chasing 229 for victory in a tri-series match in Hobart, Pakistan slipped to 197-7 when Rashid Latif departed. However, the left-handed Mujtaba continued to fight with his gritty batting.
Requiring 17 off the final over, Mujtaba dispatched Waugh to all corners of the ground. With seven needed on the last ball, the batsman smashed a six to level the match.
The late Shane Warne had a knack for rising to the occasion, and the 1999 World Cup final at Lord's was one such match when the champion leg-spinner dominated with figures of 4-33.
Pakistan won the toss and batted first, but the Australian fast bowlers quickly put the opposition on the back foot with early strikes, before Warne weaved his magic.
He tore through the Pakistan middle-order, including top scorer Ijaz Ahmed, who was bowled for 22, to dismiss Pakistan for 132 in 39 overs.
Australia reached their target with eight wickets and 29.5 overs to spare, securing their second World Cup title.
Australia won the 2015 World Cup quarter-final in Adelaide, but the match is remembered for a lively spell of bowling by Pakistani speedster Wahab Riaz, who tested Shane Watson with pace and bounce.
Riaz, a left-arm quick, unsettled Australia with two crucial wickets in a modest chase of 214 before Watson and Glenn Maxwell took charge.
However, Watson had to contend with a serious pace challenge from Wahab, who bowled bouncers at over 150 kilometres per hour, with one delivery narrowly missing the batsman's helmet grill. The bowler followed it up with a sardonic grin and applause.
Watson managed to guide Australia home by six wickets and into the semi-finals en route to another title, but the duel remains etched in the minds of many fans.
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