In the inaugural series in the Canadian city last year, Pakistan ended up winning 3-2 at Cricket, Skating and Curling Club ground. On that occasion, Pakistan and India were at full strength. However, a year later, both sides are somewhat depleted for different reasons. As in the recent Independence Cup in India and the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, Pakistan will be without their most potent bowling trio of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Mushtaq Ahmed, who between them boast of 639 wickets in the One-day Internationals. On the other hand, India's bowling resources are virtually non- existent with the untimely axing of experienced duo of regular vice- captain and leg-spinner, Anil Kumble, and pace bowler Venkatesh Prasad, both paying the price of some indifferent form during the recent tour of Sri Lanka.
On top of that, India will sorely miss strike bowler Javagal Srinath, who is still recuperating from a shoulder injury. The absence of these key bowlers has drastically reduced India to field a thin bowling line-up with the recently-reinstated offspinner Rajesh Chauhan the most experienced with 34 One-day International appearances.
In contrast, Pakistan have two men with well over 100 wickets in One- day Internationals. Medium-pacer Aaqib Javed has taken 160 scalps in 142 matches, while 20-year-old Saqlain Mushtaq, arguably the finest off- spinner currently, has an incredible tally of 115 in just 59 appearances. As far as the batting is concerned, here the edge clearly lies with Pakistan. In the current squad, Saleem Malik (6,751 runs in 262 matches), skipper Rameez Raja (5,767 in 192), Saeed Anwar (4,520 in 126), Inzamam-ul-Haq (4,349 in 140) and Ijaz Ahmed (4,302 in 176) lead a very strong and vastly experienced Pakistan batting line.
In addition, Pakistan also have the unpredictable but prodigiously talented Shahid Afridi, who blasted the quickest One-day International century (102 off 40 balls after reaching the landmark in 37 deliveries) in his first visit to the crease (against World Cup champions Sri Lanka) in his second match after being called in as a late replacement during the quadrangular tournament in Kenya last October. The robust youngster is sure to relish the small playing field in Toronto against the innocuous-looking Indian bowling now.
India will bank on ex-captain Muhammad Azharuddin (7,037 runs in 251 matches), current skipper Sachin Tendulkar (5478 in 156), Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly to provide the bulk of runs. Azharuddin became only the third player after Desmond Haynes and Javed Miandad to reach the milestone of 7,000 runs in One-day Internationals during India's disappointing tour of Sri Lanka recently.
In the past 12 months or so, these two great rivals have met on seven occasions. Apart from the inaugural edition of Sahara Cup last September, they met in the Independence Cup in Madras and the aborted Asia Cup tie in Colombo.
After the explosive World Cup quarter-final clash in Bangalore on March 9, 1996, Pakistan avenged that World Cup defeat in great style on May 21 this year. The sheer brilliance of Saeed Anwar's truly memorable world record contribution of 194 off only 147 deliveries virtually decided the final league match in the sweltering humidity and heat of a late afternoon in Madras.
The Indians made a brave attempt to make the finals against the eventual champions, Sri Lanka, but failed by 35 runs after Dravid had scored a gallant 107. Pakistan's total of 327 for five in that epic encounter is their highest against India. In fact, the highest individual innings and the best bowling figures in One-day Internationals belong to Pakistanis since Aaqib Javed has the best-ever bowling analysis of seven for 37 at Sharjah in 1991-92. And guess who were the hapless opponents on that occasion? India!
Pakistan hold a decisive psychological advantage over India, having won 33 of the 52 matches played so far, India winning 16 and three matches ending in no-results, including the last meeting in the Asia Cup. This season, Pakistan and India are set to meet at least on ten occasions. Apart from five matches in Toronto (which ends on Sept 21), the two sub-continental giants face each other three times in Pakistan before they clash in Sharjah and Bangladesh by next January. And if both are successful in reaching the final in Sharjah and Bangladesh (best -of-three finals), then this number will naturally go up.