I came across this video of the 1996 World Cup quarter final between India and Pakistan at Bangalore. The incident in question involves Aamir Sohail and Venkatesh Prasad.
India made 284 in their 50 overs thanks to some rousing hitting from Ajay Jadeja at the death, and the Pakistanis responded by reaching 100 within the first 15 overs – their crack opening combination of Sohail and Anwar putting the Indian bowling to sword with some crackling strokeplay. This incident provides a microcosm of the effect of a jingoistically charged atmosphere and an even contest on individuals in that contest.
India had played well, and the game was evenly poised at that stage – Pakistan who were a great team in 1996 had probably had the upper hand with their rollicking assault during the first fifteen overs. That was when Aamir Sohail, got a bit carried away, charged out and absolutely creamed the ball forward of square on the off side. So far so good. He then revealed the extent of his excitement by wagging his finger at the bowler as though he were warning him about the treatment he was about the mete out. This was probably not outside the realm of acceptable behaviour, even though the opinion in India was and still remains almost unanimous about the inappropriateness of Sohail’s actions. India was enraged, and Venkatesh Prasad thankfully kept his head up until his next ball (credit to him for bowling it straight) crashed into Sohail’s off stump after having somehow evaded Sohail’s incoherent non-stroke. At that point, Prasad lost it, and did his own bit of finger wagging at Sohail, accompanied with some choice abuse. The tragedy for Prasad was that this abuse was probably in English – and David Shepherd cottoned on to Venky’s sentiment. Sohail’s efforts were probably not in basic anglo-saxon.
All in all it was a charged moment. In purely cricketing terms, it was a case of Sohail losing his head and throwing his wicket away. But purely cricketing analyses rarely tell the whole story.
