‘My blood was really boiling and we needed a wicket’ – Venkatesh Prasad on his feud with Aamer Sohail in the 1996 World Cup

Back in March 1996, India and Pakistan were involved in a jaw-dropping affair in the quarterfinal of the World Cup in Bengaluru. It was an intensified match and in the heat of the moment, Venkatesh Prasad got involved in a war of words with Aamer Sohail. In that game, the left-handed Sohail once thrashed the Indian speedster for a boundary through the cover region.

Sohail then mocked him, literally asking the bowler to fetch the ball from the boundary. In the very next delivery, Sohail’s stumps went for a walk as Prasad managed to dismiss him. The latter then resorted to a send-off, something he is reminded of even after 24 years.

He should’ve just gone back to his crease: Venkatesh Prasad

“There’s not even a single day that goes by without anybody, whoever sees me, come what may, would definitely ask me, every single day from the last 24 years,” Prasad said on Fancode.

“He should’ve just gone back to his crease probably after getting that, but there was some exchange of words and a gesture that he made which didn’t really go well. Obviously, with the entire nation and spectators who were watching, and of course, with me as well. My blood was really boiling and we needed a wicket,” he stated.

Prasad admitted that the incident could easily have gotten him into trouble after the introduction of the ICC Code of Conduct. But then the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Javagal Srinath and Mohammad Azharuddin brought sanity into proceedings.

“I would’ve been penalised for that sort of gesture because that’s when the ICC Code of Conduct had come into the picture during the ‘96 World Cup; so, I had to be very careful. And Shepherd was the umpire, so Azhar, Srinath and Sachin, everybody came to my rescue, otherwise, I would’ve probably been penalised or may be banned,” Prasad added.

When Sohail and Saeed Anwar were batting, Pakistan were cruising along at 84 after 10 overs, chasing 288 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. In the end, Sohail got out on 55 and India won by 39 runs. Apart from Sohail, Prasad also pinned Ijaz Ahmed and Inzamam-ul-Haq.