The Asia Cup was introduced a year after India’s 1983 World Cup triumph. Team India was beginning to carve their own legacy in international cricket after the big victory in 1983, while Pakistan and other Asian teams sought to establish their credentials on the global stage. The biggest catch of the tournament was still India vs Pakistan way back in 1984, as the two teams squared off in Sharjah, where the Men in Blue emerged victorious. The tournament intensified the longstanding rivalry between the two nations, which has also been shaped by decades of political and cross-border tensions.
The Early Years of IND vs PAK in Asia Cup
In the first two editions of the continental tournament in the 1980s, India stamped its authority over Pakistan by winning in back-to-back editions. Riding the wave of their 1983 World Cup triumph, India was in a golden phase, led by legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, and Mohammad Azharuddin. At the decade’s end, Sachin Tendulkar emerged to begin a new chapter in Indian cricket.
Pakistan Strike Back
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw a shift in Asia Cup encounters as Pakistan began turning the tables. With their formidable pace attack of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Shoaib Akhtar, complemented by batting stars like Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf, Pakistan secured key victories, including the 1995 win by 97 runs and the 2000 triumph by 44 runs. Each India-Pakistan Asia Cup match increasingly felt like a mini-final, carrying significance far beyond mere group points and with things heating up in the middle between the players.
The fight between equals
Between 2004 and 2014, India and Pakistan clashed in a series of unforgettable Asia Cup battles, marked by intense on-field emotions. From Gautam Gambhir’s heated exchanges with Kamran Akmal and Shahid Afridi to Harbhajan Singh’s taunt at Shoaib Akhtar after hitting a six, the rivalry reached its peak. In six encounters during this period, both teams won three matches each, highlighting the fierce competitiveness and evenly matched contests that defined that era.
India’s dominant show
Since 2016, the India-Pakistan Asia Cup clashes have largely tilted in India’s favour as they strengthened their dominance in world cricket. Out of seven encounters in this period, India won five, Pakistan secured a surprise victory in 2022, which many termed an upset, and one match in 2023 ended with no result. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma were the two superstars who were dominating the cricket world during this phase, and Pakistan also didn’t escape it.
India vs Pakistan overall h2h
India have traditionally held the upper hand over Pakistan in Asia Cup clashes, across ODIs and T20Is. Their balanced squads, batting depth and composure under pressure have delivered key wins. Pakistan, meanwhile, has claimed memorable victories to keep the rivalry alive. In 18 Asia Cup meetings, India lead the head-to-head 10-6, with two matches yielding no result.
