3 min readNew DelhiAug 13, 2026 04:34 PM IST
Operation Safed Sagar, the new web series on Netflix, which chronicles the the Indian Air Force operation during the Kargil War of 1999, has emerged as streamer’s 8th most watched show worldwide post its release. A large part of the show is set on the frontlines where Indian defence personnel were fighting day and night, and sacrificing their lives for the country. Amid the war, India and Pakistan had another face-off thousands of kilometres away in England. This was during the Cricket World Cup of 1999 when India and Pakistan faced each other at the Old Trafford stadium in Manchester.
Pakistani soldiers glued to radio sets
In the show, we see Pakistani soldiers glued to their radio sets as the cricket teams were facing off in one of the most significant matches of the series. This was also the first time when two countries, which were actively at war with each other, were playing cricket at the World Cup. The match was won by India, but for Pakistan, this loss came with a lot of baggage.
The show, Operation Safed Sagar, opens with Pervez Musharraf walking into Rawalpindi stadium as the Pakistani team can be seen practicing in the background. A few years before this, in 1992, Pakistan had won its first and only 50-over World Cup. But in the 1996 edition, they could not perform as well. India and Pakistan faced each other in the quarter-finals, and India emerged victorious.
India won the match against Pakistan during Kargil War
So when they had to face each other in 1999, amid the Kargil War, the rivalry was at its peak. It is to be noted that earlier that year, India had hosted Pakistan for a two-Test series, which ended in a draw. Soon after that, the Indian Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, travelled to Pakistan for the historic peace talks in Lahore. But, months later, the two countries were at war with each other.
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that the audience was on the edge of their seat through the entirety of the match, which started with India winning the toss, and electing to bat. Mohammad Azharuddin was the captain of the team, and scored 59 runs in the match. Sachin Tendulkar scored 59, and Rahul Dravid scored the maximum runs, 61. On the bowling side, Venkatesh Prasad took 5 wickets, followed by Javagal Srinath’s 3 and Anil Kumble’s 2 wickets. Venkatesh Prasad was announced as the player of the match. Wasim Akram was the captain of the Pakistan team at the time.
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With tension in the air, and over 90 percent South Asian audience in the crowd, the teams played each other, and there was no untoward incident on the field.
Years later, Azharuddin spoke about playing against Pakistan during the war and told India Today, “There was tension… There was the war on. We were scared the spectators would start fighting. When we won, the soldiers celebrated.” The two countries did not play each other at international games for the next few years.
