Aussie Dominant Force | India, Pakistan, Australia | Videocon Cup 2004 | "Full Tournament Pack" 

The Videocon Cup of August 2004 was a tri-nation ODI tournament held in the Netherlands, involving Australia, India, and Pakistan. It served as a warm-up for the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy. Despite being plagued by rain, the tournament featured intense battles on the field, with only one group stage match (India vs Pakistan) reaching a result. Australia, without completing a game due to two washed-out fixtures, refused to reschedule their games but qualified for the final along with Pakistan.
Pakistan's victory over India in the group match was a thrilling 66-run win. Shoaib Malik led Pakistan's charge with a composed 66, supported by some heavy-hitting at the death from Abdul Razzaq (35*). India's chase of a revised target of 194 started promisingly, with a quick start by Virender Sehwag and Sourav Ganguly, but they faltered as Pakistan's bowlers, especially Shahid Afridi (4/20) and Malik, applied pressure. India's collapse left them well short of the target, despite some resistance from VVS Laxman and Rohan Gavaskar.
Rain disrupted the tournament further when India faced Australia, with the match being abandoned after India had restricted Australia to 175/7 in 32 overs. Lakshmipathy Balaji was the star for India, taking crucial wickets, but the washed-out game meant that India was knocked out.
In the final, Australia faced Pakistan on a challenging pitch. Andrew Symonds and Matthew Hayden guided Australia to 193, which proved sufficient as Pakistan collapsed to 175 all out. Despite a promising start from Imran Farhat and Yasir Hameed, Pakistan's middle-order faltered, with Yousuf Youhana and Abdul Razzaq providing the only resistance. Australia's bowlers, led by Shoaib Akhtar (3/40), sealed a 17-run victory, showcasing their ability to win even in unfamiliar conditions.
Overall, the Videocon Cup highlighted the intensity of the Indo-Pak rivalry and Australia’s resilience as a dominant force in world cricket, despite adverse weather and playing conditions.
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