The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry is considered one of the fiercest and iconic rivalries in cricket history. Since their last bilateral series in 2012-13, the two teams have clashed only in ICC and ACC events. The Asia Cup, started in 1984 by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), has been a major platform for this rivalry. Since that inaugural edition, India and Pakistan have faced each other 19 times in the tournament so far — 14 times in ODIs and 4 times in T20Is. India currently leads the rivalry with 10 wins, while Pakistan has won 6 matches. 3 matches have ended in a no result.
India vs Pakistan: A Battle That Began in the 1984 Asia Cup
Their rivalry started with the first Asia Cup match in 1984, where India defeated Pakistan by 54 runs in a low-scoring match in Sharjah. After this, many memorable matches were played between the two teams. Pakistan's most thrilling win came in 2014 when Shahid Afridi smashed two sixes in the last over off Ravichandran Ashwin to seal a dramatic win in Mirpur. India avenged it in the 2016 Asia Cup. One of India's most memorable wins came in 2018 when India crushed Pakistan by 9 wickets. Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan smashed crucial centuries to thrash Pakistan's bowlers.
In recent years, this rivalry has also been seen in the T20 format. The 2022 Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates saw two close encounters between the two teams, with both winning one each. The last time the two teams faced each other on the Asia Cup stage was in 2023, where India put up a stellar performance to post a mammoth 356/2 in the Super Four stage. Centuries from Virat Kohli (122*) and KL Rahul (111) helped India win by 228 runs—their biggest win over Pakistan in ODI history.
The next India vs Pakistan match is scheduled for 14 September during the Asia Cup 2025. However, political tensions still cast a shadow over whether the Indian team will take part in the match. Beyond the statistics, what sets this rivalry apart is its rich context—political implications, cultural pride, and decades of shared cricket history. Even neutral spectators are drawn in by the unmatched emotion and drama of these encounters.
No India-Pakistan Clash in an Asia Cup Final Yet
Interestingly, India and Pakistan have never faced each other in an Asia Cup final throughout the tournament's history. The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup holds significant importance as it serves as a key preparatory event for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which will be hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
India enters the tournament as the defending champions of both the Asia Cup and the T20 World Cup. The BCCI is expected to announce the Indian squad for the Asia Cup in the coming days. Notably, India last played a T20 International match against England in January 2025.
Captain Surya’s Biggest Trial Awaits in the Asia Cup
The Indian Cricket Team is gearing up for the Asia Cup 2025 under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav. While India has comfortably won T20I series against Australia, South Africa, England, and Bangladesh under his captaincy, the upcoming tournament will be the biggest test of Surya's leadership so far.
The official schedule for the tournament has been released, featuring a total of eight participating teams divided into two groups of four. India has been placed in Group A alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, as well as the UAE and Oman. Group B consists of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong.
India will kick off their campaign against the United Arab Emirates on September 10, followed by the highly anticipated clash against Pakistan on September 14. Their final group-stage match will be against Oman on September 19.
The tournament will comprise a total of 19 matches, including 12 group-stage games, 6 Super-4 clashes, and the grand final. If both India and Pakistan advance to the Super 4 stage, they are scheduled to meet again on September 21. The top two teams from the Super 4 round will advance to the Asia Cup 2025 final, scheduled to take place on September 28.