SPORTS
That bloody match of 1989, when the Indian captain was attacked with a knife in the middle of the field in Pakistan, Kapil Dev was shocked to see it
India tour of Pakistan 1989: The Indian cricket team toured Pakistan in 1989. The test series played here was a draw. But in the very first match, a Pakistani fan attacked the team captain K. Srikkanth with a knife.
India tour of Pakistan 1989: The match between India and Pakistan has always been a match that fans from all over the world enjoy. Be it rivalry, cricket, a confluence of cultures, when these two countries clash with each other on a distance of 22 yards, many stories are born that last for generations. Be it Virat Kohli hitting the ‘shot of the century’ off Haris Rauf at the MCG or a young Sachin Tendulkar smashing four consecutive sixes off Abdul Qadir, these are just a few of the many stories that are an integral part of cricket’s glorious history.
India’s historic tour of Pakistan in 1989
Cricket, often referred to as the colonial game, creates an unmatched sense of unity between these two countries. India vs Pakistan is not just Asia’s but the world’s biggest cricket rivalry, matched only by the Ashes. The geopolitical tensions between these two countries add fuel to the fire and often these matches turn players into heroes and villains based on their performances. When we talk about the cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan, we can’t help but mention India’s historic tour of Pakistan in 1989.
Sachin Tendulkar made his debut
Earlier, Pakistan always had an edge against India thanks to their fast bowling attack, but India's tour of Pakistan in 1989 was meant to level the playing field. It was the historic tour where master blaster Sachin Tendulkar made his debut for India and history was created thereafter. The fast bowling trio of Wasim, Waqar and Imran Khan were dismissed by a 16-year-old boy, which was a sight to behold and gave the cricketing world a small glimpse of what was to come in the next 24 years. Not just Sachin, but another Mumbai boy also gave Pakistan a taste of his class. This Mumbai boy named Sanjay Manjrekar scored a total of 569 runs in 7 innings at an average of 94.83.
Knife attack on Indian captain
But what grabbed headlines was how the Indian captain, the ever aggressive Krishnamachari Srikkanth was harassed and attacked by a Pakistani fan. A religious party worker attacked the Indian captain with a knife during the first Test match played at the Karachi International Stadium. The incident left the great Kapil Dev shaken and he was at a loss for words to react to it. Luckily for the captain, he was unhurt as the security personnel arrested the attacker.
India played 4 Test matches in this series, hosted by Karachi, Faisalabad, Lahore and Sialkot. This historic series ended in a draw and it was the first time India remained undefeated in a Test series on Pakistani soil.
