Pakistan and Bangladesh in clash of Cup stragglers

All those of a certain age will remember Wasim Akram saying, "I am happy we lost to our brothers," after Pakistan were over-trumped by Bangladesh in the 1999 World Cup. A team comprising Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar, Saqlain Mushtaq, Inzamam-ul Haq, Saeed Anwar, Shahid Afridi and Saleem Malik among others, a team that would play the final, had gone belly-up against World Cup debutants in Northampton.

- Dhiman Sarkar

Yet, if Akram didn't look upset at the post-match interview, it could have been because the game was inconsequential as Pakistan had already qualified to the next stage, the Super Six. Or, because it was the 62-run defeat was a one-off, an upset because Pakistan had easily won the previous six games between the teams. The sub-text was clear: bring them on another time and you know who will win.

You can't say that going into Tuesday's game here ahead of which chief selector Inzamam resigned and an inquiry committee set up to probe conflict of interest influencing World Cup squad selection. That is just one proof of how the mighty have fallen.

At Eden for the first time in seven years, Pakistan's sub-par campaign this time is reminiscent of Shafqat Amanat Ali's rendition of the national anthem during the 2016 World-T20 here, one the brilliant playback singer had attributed to "audio and technical issues".