India vs Pakistan is the biggest rivalry in all of cricket — and arguably the
most watched sporting contest on the planet. More than one billion fans tune in
whenever India vs Pakistan takes place. The pressure, passion and intensity of
these matches is unlike anything else in sport.
In this post we relive 5 of the most unforgettable India vs Pakistan matches
ever played — with full scores, key moments and match results that will never
be forgotten.
1. India vs Pakistan — 2007 T20 World Cup Final (Johannesburg)
The very first India vs Pakistan match in a T20 World Cup Final remains one of
the greatest cricket matches ever played. This was the inaugural T20 World Cup
final played in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Pakistan posted 157/8 in 20 overs. India chased brilliantly — needing 13 off
the last over with Misbah-ul-Haq at the crease. Misbah hit three consecutive
boundaries to bring it down to 6 off 3 balls.
Then the moment cricket will never forget — Misbah attempted a scoop shot off
Joginder Sharma and was caught by Sreesanth at short fine leg. India won by 5
runs in the most dramatic final imaginable.
MS Dhoni — in his very first year as T20 captain — lifted the inaugural T20
World Cup trophy at just 26 years old.
Result: India won by 5 runs
Player of the Match: Irfan Pathan
2. India vs Pakistan — 2022 T20 World Cup (Melbourne)
This India vs Pakistan clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground attracted over
90,000 fans — the largest crowd ever for a T20 international match at the time.
Pakistan posted 159/8 in 20 overs. India’s chase started in chaos — Rohit
Sharma fell early and India slipped to 31 for 4 in the powerplay. The match
looked completely lost.
Then Virat Kohli produced one of the greatest T20 innings ever played. He
scored 82 not out off just 53 balls — hitting the last ball of the match for
a six to win with one ball to spare.
India needed 28 off the final 8 balls and somehow won. The entire cricket world
stood still watching Kohli’s magical innings unfold.
Result: India won by 4 wickets
Player of the Match: Virat Kohli
3. India vs Pakistan — 2017 Champions Trophy Final (London)
This India vs Pakistan final at The Oval is remembered as Pakistan’s greatest
ever ODI performance against India. Fakhar Zaman scored a brilliant century —
the first ever by a Pakistani opener in a major ICC final.
Pakistan bowled India out for just 158 and then chased it down with ease,
winning by 180 runs — their biggest ever victory margin against India in any
format.
The result shocked the entire cricket world. India had entered the final as
overwhelming favourites having won all their previous matches in the tournament.
Result: Pakistan won by 180 runs
Player of the Match: Fakhar Zaman
4. India vs Pakistan — 2021 T20 World Cup (Dubai)
This India vs Pakistan match at the 2021 T20 World Cup was Pakistan’s first
ever victory against India in a T20 World Cup — ending a 12-match losing
streak spanning 13 years.
Pakistan demolished India by 10 wickets — chasing 152 in just 17.5 overs
without losing a single wicket. Mohammad Rizwan scored 79 not out and Babar
Azam hit 68 not out in a flawless opening partnership.
India never recovered psychologically from this defeat and were knocked out
in the group stage. It remains the most complete India vs Pakistan performance
by either team in T20 World Cup history.
Result: Pakistan won by 10 wickets
Player of the Match: Shaheen Afridi
5. India vs Pakistan — 2023 ODI World Cup (Ahmedabad)
The 2023 ODI World Cup clash between India and Pakistan at Narendra Modi
Stadium was watched by over 130 million viewers on television — the most
watched India vs Pakistan ODI match in history.
India posted 266/9 in 50 overs with Rohit Sharma scoring 86 off 83 balls.
Jasprit Bumrah took 2 wickets and ran through Pakistan’s top order brilliantly.
Pakistan were bowled out for 205. The margin of victory was 7 wickets after
a Hardik Pandya all-round performance sealed India’s dominant win.
India remained unbeaten throughout the entire 2023 World Cup group stage with
this victory extending their winning streak to 7 matches.
Result: India won by 7 wickets
Player of the Match: Hardik Pandya
India vs Pakistan Head-to-Head Record
| Format | Matches | India Wins | Pakistan Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 135+ | 57+ | 73+ |
| T20I | 21+ | 12+ | 9+ |
| Test | 59+ | 9+ | 12+ |
Pakistan leads the overall ODI and Test head-to-head record. However India
has dominated in recent ICC tournament matches and T20Is. For complete historical stats and records visit [ESPNcricinfo].
Why India vs Pakistan Is the Greatest Cricket Rivalry
Every India vs Pakistan match carries a weight no other cricket match can match.
Here is why this rivalry stands completely apart:
- Over 1.5 billion combined fans watch every single match worldwide
- Players feel pressure unlike any other match in their careers
- ICC tournament encounters between the two sides are always high-stakes
- The rivalry has produced some of cricket’s most memorable individual performances
- Political history between India and Pakistan adds enormous emotional significance
Batting Lessons from India vs Pakistan Matches
At BattingMind, we study every India vs Pakistan match carefully for batting
technique and mental strength lessons:
- Kohli’s 82 not out in Melbourne 2022 — the greatest example of batting
under extreme pressure in modern T20 cricket - Fakhar Zaman’s century in 2017 — textbook fearless batting on the
biggest stage with no fear of failure - Babar Azam’s 68 not out in Dubai 2021 — masterclass in calm, composed
batting when the target demands precision not aggression
Every India vs Pakistan match teaches us that mental strength separates good
batters from truly great ones — which is exactly what BattingMind focuses on.
Conclusion
India vs Pakistan will forever remain cricket’s greatest, most emotional and
most watched rivalry. From Misbah’s scoop in 2007 to Kohli’s miracle in
Melbourne, this contest has produced moments that define entire careers and
generations of cricket fans.
Whenever India vs Pakistan takes place, the whole world watches — and every
ball, every wicket and every boundary carries the weight of history.
For more batting analysis and cricket match breakdowns, explore the
BattingMind Blog or discover our
batting coaching services.