As India take on Australia in the first of the super-six matches, here is what has happened in the past between the two teams. This quick overview should give a general idea as to what can happen, although statistics have been proven wrong on numerous occasions!

When India           Matches    Won   Lost  NR   Td   Success %

Batted first            26       9    15     2    0   37.50
Batted last             28      13    14     1    0   48.15

Conclusion: India is better off chasing a target against the
Aussies.

Won the Toss            23      12    10     1    0   54.55
Lost the Toss           31      10    19     2    0   34.48

Conclusion: Azhar needs to win the toss, as he usually does.

Record in each country

Ban                      1    1    0    0    0  100.00
UAE                      5    3    2    0    0   60.00
Ind                     20    9    8    3    0   52.94
Eng                      2    1    1    0    0   50.00
SL                       2    1    1    0    0   50.00
NZ                       3    1    2    0    0   33.33
Aus                     21    6   15    0    0   28.57

Record in each season

1980-81                  5       1    4    0    0   20.00
1983                     2       1    1    0    0   50.00
1984-85                  7       2    3    2    0   40.00
1985-86                  7       2    5    0    0   28.57
1986-87                  7       4    2    1    0   66.67
1987-88                  2       1    1    0    0   50.00
1989-90                  3       1    2    0    0   33.33
1991-92                  7       1    6    0    0   14.29
1993-94                  1       1    0    0    0  100.00
1994-95                  2       2    0    0    0  100.00
1995-96                  1       0    1    0    0    0.00
1996-97                  3       2    1    0    0   66.67
1997-98                  6       3    3    0    0   50.00
1998-99                  1       1    0    0    0  100.00

In the World Cup

                         6       2    4    0    0   33.33

There have been quite a few very close matches in the World Cup
between the teams: Australia winning twice by a single run!

Grand Total             54      22   29    3    0   43.14

The Captains against each other
                                                                
M Azharuddin            20       8    12     0    0   40.00
SR Waugh                 7       3     4     0    0   42.86

The record of the captains against each other is not very
spectacular. In fact, it is almost even.
                                                             
TOTAL                   27       8    18     1    0   30.77
A summary of the last ten matches between the teams

Ground          Date       Won By       T B    Ind Score       Aus Score
Colombo (1)  06 Sep 1996 Aus  3  Wkts   L F    201-10 41.0    202- 7 47.0
Bangalore    21 Oct 1996 Ind  2  Wkts   L L    216- 8 48.5    215- 7 50.0
Mohali       03 Nov 1996 Ind   5 Runs   L F    289- 6 50.0    284-10 49.1
Kochi        01 Apr 1998 Ind  41 Runs   W F    309- 5 50.0    268-10 45.5
Kanpur       07 Apr 1998 Ind  6  Wkts   L L    223- 4 44.3    222- 9 50.0
Delhi (1)    14 Apr 1998 Aus  4  Wkts   W F    227-10 49.3    231- 6 48.4
Sharjah      19 Apr 1998 Aus  58 Runs   L L    206-10 44.0    264- 9 50.0
Sharjah      22 Apr 1998 Aus  26 Runs   L L    250- 5 46.0    284- 7 50.0
Sharjah      24 Apr 1998 Ind  6  Wkts   W L    275- 4 51.0    272- 9 50.0
Dhaka        28 Oct 1998 Ind  44 Runs   L F    307- 8 50.0    263-10 49.0

(T: Toss (W)on/(L)ost, B:Batted (F)irst/(L)ast)

Contributed by: Atul Kahate (AKahate@yahoo.com)