Some sports teams have been considered sports rivals for decades now. And one such is India versus Pakistan. The fans of Indian and Pakistan teams would not miss any match when both teams are playing, would they? The first ever test series between India and Pakistan happened in 1952, and the last test series was in 2007-08. Due to political collisions between the parties, it was advised not to have any test series between them. So, looking into the history, let’s talk about the best matches of India-Pakistan as follows:
Five Best Matches Of India-Pakistan Test Cricket
In my opinion, I would say that there were five test series in which both the teams managed to draw the game in all the matches in a test series. I would say that those are the greatest and best matches of India-Pakistan. Can you imagine, not even in a single match, both the teams did not let the other team take the victory. Let’s talk about five such test series in this article.
In the India tour of Pakistan, which happened in 1954-55, there were five test matches in which both India and Pakistan managed to draw a match. Alimuddin and Hanif Muhammad from Pakistan were the highest run scorers. P Roy and PR Umrigar were the highest run scorers of India. Khan Muhammad from Pakistan took 22 wickets in 5 test matches, whereas SP Gupte from the Indian Team took 21 wickets in 5 test matches. These are one of the best matches of India-Pakistan.
In 1960-61, the Pakistan tour of India happened, in which five test matches were played. Both the teams managed to draw all five matches. Saeed Ahmed from Pakistan has scored 460 test runs in 5 matches. PR Umrigar from the Indian team has scored 382 runs in 5 matches. RB Desai from India has bagged 21 wickets in 5 test matches. Haseeb Ahsan, the former Pakistan player, took 15 wickets. This test series is also one of the best matches of India-Pakistan.
In the Pakistan tour of India 1983/84, three test matches were played between India and Pakistan, in which all three test matches were drawn. AD Gaekwad and SM Gavaskar were the highest run scorer of the Indian team. Javed Miandad and Wasim Raja were the Pakistan team’s highest run scorers. Kapil Dev from the Indian team bagged 12 wickets, whereas Azeem Hafeez from Pakistan bagged 10 in 3 test matches. This test series was one of the best matches of India-Pakistan.
From 1984-85, the India tour of Pakistan happened, in which two test matches were played. Both the matches ended in a draw. Qasim Umar, Nazar, RJ Shastri and M Amarnath were the highest run scorers of the test series. Azeem Hafeez from the Pakistan team took 11 wickets in the two-match test series.
In the India tour of Pakistan, which happened in 1989-90, four test matches were played between the teams. Some of the best matches of India-Pakistan happened then. Both the rival nations drew all four test matches. SV Manjrekar of the Indian team scored 569 runs in 4 test matches, and Shoaib Muhammad from Pakistan scored 412 runs in 4 test matches. Wasim Akram from Pakistan bagged 18 wickets in 4 test matches, the highest wicket-taker of the series. On the other hand, M Prabhakar from India took 16 wickets.
How Many Times Does India Win Against Pakistan?
- In test matches, India and Pakistan have faced off against each other in 59 matches so far, in which India won against Pakistan in nine matches, and 38 matches have been drawn.
- India and Pakistan competed against each other in 132 one-day international matches, in which India won against Pakistan 55 times, and four of the matches ended with no results.
- In the T-20 cricket format, India and Pakistan matched up against each other in nine matches, in which India won against Pakistan seven times.
How Many Times Does Pakistan Win Against India?
- Out of 59 test matches played between India and Pakistan, Pakistan has succeeded in 12 matches, and 38 matches have ended in draws.
- Out of 132 ODI matches played between India and Pakistan teams, Pakistan was prosperous in 73 matches, and four of the matches ended with no result.
- Out of nine T20 matches played with all-time favourite cricket rivals India and Pakistan, Pakistan was prosperous in two matches.
Who Won The Most ODI Matches Between India And Pakistan?
From the above information, you would have understood that Pakistan won more one-day international matches than the Indian team. So now let’s talk about the list of the best matches of India-Pakistan in this article.
- Some of the best-scored matches between India and Pakistan are as follows: In the Pakistan tour of India, which happened in the year 2005, the Indian team managed to score 356 runs out of 300 balls, with one wicket left to spare. It is the highest run scored by the Indian team against Pakistan in ODI matches. Pakistan struggled to score 298 runs in 44 overs, losing all ten wickets. India won the match by 58 runs. This is one of the best matches of India-Pakistan.
- Next on the list would be when India scored 349 runs in 300 balls with three wickets left to spare in the India tour of Pakistan in the year 2004. Pakistan managed to put up a big fight but scored only 344 runs in 50 overs with the loss of eight wickets. It was one of the best matches of India-Pakistan. Pakistan’s 344 runs are the highest runs scored by the Pakistan team against India in ODI matches played so far in cricket.
- In the ICC champions trophy played in the year 2017, Pakistan managed to score 338 runs in 300 balls, with six wickets left to spare. This is the second highest score taken by Pakistan when playing against India in ODI matches. In this match, the Indian team struggled to reach the target and scored 180.58 runs in 30 overs, losing all ten wickets. Pakistan won the match by 180 runs.
- In 2019, India and Pakistan faced off against each other in ICC Cricket World Cup, in which India scored 336 runs in 300 balls, with five wickets left to spare. This is the third highest run scored by the Indian team when played against Pakistan in ODI matches. In this match, Pakistan struggled to reach the target by scoring only 212 runs in 40 overs with the loss of six wickets. India won the match by 89 runs according to the D/L method. It was one of the best matches of India-Pakistan.
- In the India tour of Pakistan in 2014, Pakistan scored 329 runs in 300 balls, with four wickets left to spare. It is the third-highest run scored by the Pakistan team when played against the Indian team in ODI matches. In this match, India did not reach the target and scored only 317 runs in 48 overs, losing all ten wickets. Pakistan won the match by 12 runs. It was one of the best matches of India-Pakistan.
Top 3 Best Turnover Matches Against India Vs Pakistan
First Best Turnover Match
In the Asia Cup 2018, which happened in Dubai international stadium, Dubai, Pakistan scored 237 runs in 50 overs, with a loss of seven wickets.
It seemed like a tough match to win against Pakistan, but Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan managed to score centuries, which helped the team reach the target of 231 runs in just 39 overs with nine wickets left to spare.
We could say that it was one of the best turnover matches and best matches of India-Pakistan.
Second Best Turnover Match
In the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl first. And I think that was the wrong decision because it helped the Indian team score 336 runs in 50 overs with five wickets left to spare.
Rohit scored a century in that match, and Kohli scored 77 runs. All this brilliant performance helped the team to score 336 runs. The Indian team performed at the run rate of 6.72.
In the second innings of the match, Pakistan struggled to reach the target and scored only 212 runs in 40 overs with a loss of six wickets. According to the DLS method, India won the match by 89 runs. Undoubtedly, we could say that it was one of the best matches of India-Pakistan.
Third Best Turnover Match
In 2017 India and Pakistan competed against each other in the Champions Trophy final match, in which the men in green gave a tough competition to the men in blue.
In that match, India won the toss and opted to bowl first. I would say India’s plan did not work well because Pakistan team players scored 338 runs with six wickets left to spare. Fakhar Zaman of Pakistan team has scored a century, Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali have got the 50s which helped the team to reach the whopping score of 338 runs.
And some terrible mistakes were made by the Indian team players as well. Six wickets have been lost when the Indian team has just scored 72 runs. The pressure was on Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja to reach the target for the Indian team. Hardik managed to score 76 in 43 balls but later, he was run out. India lost the final match of the Champions trophy by 180 runs.
Conclusion
I’m sure nobody would miss a match between the long-term cricket rivals India and Pakistan, as it gives chills and goosebumps to the audience. The tension keeps us tied up to the chair till the match is over. Though India and Pakistan did not meet in the Test series anymore, they met in other formats of cricket matches, which we are happy about. Unforgettable moments are watching the best matches of India-Pakistan.
