The much-anticipated clash between the Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team and Pakistan on October 15 in the upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup is expected to add more interesting events to their age-old rivalry. While players from both sides generally maintain cordial relations, tensions sometimes flare, often leading to interesting incidents. Former Pakistan bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan recently shared a memorable incident involving Virender Sehwag during a conversation on the Nadir Ali Podcast.
During the podcast, Rana Naved ul Hasan reminisced about a particular incident saying, “Let me tell you a story. There was a match in the 2004-05 series where Sehwag was batting on 85. It was that series When we toured India. I was adjudged the player of the tournament. The series consisted of five matches and we were 2-0 down. Sehwag was hitting big shots in the third match and he was close to scoring 300. I asked brother give me the ball and I bowled a slower bouncer.”
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Continuing his account, Rana Naved ul Hasan said, “I approached him and said, ‘You don’t know how to play. If you were in Pakistan, I doubt you would have made it to the international team.’ He replied in a few words of his own. On the way back, I told Inzy bhai, ‘He is getting out next ball.’ Eng bhai was surprised. I bowled a slower back-of-the-hand ball, and a furious Sehwag tried to hit it big, but was caught out. That wicket was crucial, and it helped us win the match. Some fast bowlers use tricks.”
Rana Naved Ul Hasan to Virender Sehwag in Karachi ODI 2004 pic.twitter.com/GOuj5tXarg— Abhijeet _ (@TheYorkerBall) 28 May 2020
It is worth noting that there are some factual inconsistencies in Naved’s recollections. Naved emerged as the highest wicket-taker in the series with 15 wickets. Additionally, the series consisted of six matches, not five. After losing the first two games, Pakistan came back and won the series 4–2 on aggregate. Still, it is likely that Naved was referring to India’s win in the 2nd ODI in Visakhapatnam. Sehwag was dismissed after facing 40 balls while batting on 74 runs. However, Pakistan missed out by 58 runs in that particular match.