India vs Pakistan Cricket Rivalry: A Look Back at the Last 5 ODIs
The highly anticipated match between India vs Pakistan is right around the corner with the two arch-rivals set to face off in the group stage of the Asia Cup 2023 on Saturday, September 2. Rohit Sharma and Co. will be up against the much-improved Pakistan side, which holds the number 1 spot in the ICC ODI rankings. Babar Azam’s team started off its Asia Cup campaign with a massive victory over Nepal by 238 runs. Consistent Babar showed his class as he managed to rack up 151 runs making him the Player of the Match.
Rohit and his side will look to start their Asia Cup campaign with a win after crashing out of the previous edition in the Super 4 stage following their defeats against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the Super 4 stage of the tournament. However, this year’s Asia Cup is being played in the 50-over format which will be a perfect tune-up for the teams ahead of the ODI World Cup 2023 which will be held in India this October-November.
The Last 5 Encounters
With the intense rivalry between India and Pakistan, let us take a look at what happened in the last 5 ODIs between the two teams.
| # | Match | Venue | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | India vs Pakistan: League Stage – ODI World Cup | Old Trafford, 2019 | June 16, 2019 | India won by 89 runs (DLS method) |
| 4 | India vs Pakistan: Super 4s – Asia Cup | Dubai, 2018 | September 23, 2018 | India won by 9 wickets |
| 3 | India vs Pakistan: Group Stage – Asia Cup | Dubai, 2018 | September 19, 2018 | India won by 8 wickets |
| 2 | India vs Pakistan: Final – Champions Trophy | The Oval, 2017 | June 18, 2017 | Pakistan won by 180 runs |
| 1 | India vs Pakistan: Group Stage – Champions Trophy | Birmingham, 2017 | June 4, 2017 | India won by 124 runs (DLS method) |
Arguably one of India’s most crushing defeats in the history books. The match in itself was shocking. A young Fakhar Zaman, who was only playing his fourth international game, came in a smacked the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. The southpaw managed to score 116 runs whilst being supported by Azhar Ali (59 runs), Babar Azam (46 runs) and Mohammad Hafeez (57 runs). The Indian batting barely provided any resistance to defeat the Pakistan bowlers. Mohammad Amir came in and cleaned up the trio of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan within the first 9 overs. The other batters followed suit but Hardik Pandya managed to put in some resistance with 76 runs but a costly mix-up with Jadeja sealed the game, making it an iconic victory for the Pakistan side.
Analysis of the Last 5 ODIs
Let’s delve into the key takeaways from these memorable encounters:
- India’s Dominance: India has won 4 out of the last 5 ODIs against Pakistan, showcasing their dominance in this fierce rivalry.
- Fakhar Zaman’s Heroics: Fakhar Zaman’s century in the 2017 Champions Trophy final remains one of the standout moments in this rivalry.
- Impact Players: Players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Babar Azam have consistently delivered crucial performances for their respective teams.
- Unpredictability: Despite India’s overall dominance, cricket fans know that anything can happen when these two teams clash.
As we eagerly await the upcoming India vs Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup 2023, these past encounters serve as a reminder of the excitement and unpredictability that this historic rivalry brings to the cricketing world.
Stay tuned for more updates on this epic showdown!