Top 5 India vs Pakistan encounters of this decade

Over the years, India vs Pakistan matchups have resulted in some pulsating encounters. The cricketing rivalry between the two nations is actually considered by many to be the greatest, on a par with Australia-England clashes. Javed Miandad’s last-ball six off Chetan Sharma at Sharjah was iconic and so was Venkatesh Prasad’s send off to Aamer Sohail during the 1996 World Cup quarter-final clash at Bengaluru.

Coming to the current decade (2010-2019), the archrivals have not faced each other a lot owing to the political turmoil. And, in the games that did take place, India have emerged as the better side on most occasions. In six T20Is between India and Pakistan in this decade, the Men in Blue have won five and lost only one. As for ODIs, the teams have faced each other on 14 occasions, with India winning ten and Pakistan four. No Tests have been played between the two countries during this time period.

With this decade coming to an end, we look back at the top five India-Pakistan matches in the last ten years.

#5. 2nd T20I, Pakistan tour of India (December 28, 2012, at Ahmedabad)

Yuvraj Singh

Pakistan visited India for a limited-overs series in 2012. India had lost the first T20I at Bengaluru and needed to win at Ahmedabad to square the two-match series 1-1. Pakistan put India in to bat after winning the toss. The hosts got off to a brisk start, with Gautam Gambhir (21 from 11) and Ajinkya Rahane (28 from 26) adding 44 for the opening wicket in 4.5 overs. However, India then lost both the openers in quick succession, after which Virat Kohli also was run out for 27 from 22.

Tottering at 88 for 3, India needed someone to play a big inning. And, as he had so often done for the team, Yuvraj Singh came in and played the knock that made the difference. He blasted his way to 72 off just 36 balls, smashing four fours and as many as seven sixes. Skipper MS Dhoni contributed 33 from 23 as India finished at 192 for 5. Sohail Tanvir went for 44 in his four, Saeed Ajmal for 42, and Shahid Afridi conceded 33 in his three. Umar Gul was Pakistan’s most successful bowler with 4 for 37.

Ashok Dinda

Pakistan began their chase well, with openers Nasir Jamshed (41 from 32) and Ahmed Shehzad (31 from 29) adding 74 in 9.5 overs. Ravichandran Ashwin got the big breakthrough for India, having Jamshed caught by Kohli while Yuvraj had Shehzad stumped. Ashok Dinda then dealt three key blows as the visitor's chase faltered. He dismissed Umar Akmal for 24, skipper Mohammad Hafeez for 55, and Kamran Akmal for 5 to finish with figures of 3 for 36. India ended up clinching the game by 11 runs.

#4. 5th Match, Asia Cup (March 18, 2012, at Dhaka)

Virat Kohli

Pakistan batted first after winning the toss in this game. They got off to the best possible start as Mohammad Hafeez (105) and Nasir Jamshed (112) added a massive 224 for the opening wicket in 35.5 overs. Younis Khan then added to India’s woes, with a quickfire 52 from 34 balls.

Although India pulled things back a little towards the end with quick strikes, Pakistan still reached 329 for 6 in their 50 overs. Praveen Kumar was the most expensive of Indian bowlers, conceding 77 in his 10 overs, while Irfan Pathan finished with 1 for 69.

At the halfway stage, Pakistan were definite favorites, and their chances grew further when Gautam Gambhir was trapped lbw by Mohammad Hafeez for a duck on the second ball of the Indian innings. However, two generations of Indian cricket then joined hands as Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli added 133 for the second wicket in quick time. Tendulkar fell for 52 off 48 to Saeed Ajmal in what turned out to be his final ODI innings. Kohli, however, went on to register his career-best of 183 from 148 balls.

The 2012 Asia Cup match was Sachin Tendulkar's last ODI

This was the time Kohli was beginning to make a mark as a chaser in ODIs, and this match saw the passing of the baton, in a sense, from an outgoing legend to someone who was heading towards the doors of greatness. With 22 fours and one six in his innings, Kohli made a mockery of Pakistan’s target and with help from Rohit Sharma (68 from 83), another ODI legend in the making, guided India to a comprehensive six-wicket triumph.

#3. Champions Trophy Final (June 18, 2017, at The Oval)

Fakhar Zaman

This is one of the few that got away from India, and the manner of defeat will rankle for a while. In the league encounter between the two sides, India had thrashed Pakistan by 124 runs at Birmingham. However, Pakistan were a much more confident side by the final, having defeated England by eight wickets in the semi-final. India, too, had got the better of Bangladesh by nine wickets in the other semis.

India bowled first in the final, and the moment of the match came very early in the game when Jasprit Bumrah had Fakhar Zaman caught behind on three. However, replays showed that Bumrah had overstepped. The reprieve went a long way in costing India the title. Zaman went on to smash 114 off 106 balls.

Azhar Ali (59), Babar Azam (46), and Mohammad Hafeez (57 not out) all made significant contributions as Pakistan posted a mammoth 338 for 4. Bumrah conceded 0 for 68 in nine overs, while Ravichandran Ashwin conceded 70 in his 10.

Jasprit Bumrah's no ball proved very costly

India began miserably in the chase as Rohit Sharma was trapped lbw for a duck by Mohammad Amir. The left-arm pacer had skipper Virat Kohli dropped on 5, but dismissed him very next ball with an outswinger. Amir also accounted for the in-form Shikhar Dhawan (21), as India crumbled to 3 for 33. Hardik Pandya delayed the inevitable with a gutsy 76 from 43 balls. However, he was run out following a mix-up with Ravindra Jadeja.

India crumbled to 158 all out and slipped to defeat by 180 runs.

#2. 2011 World Cup Semi-Final (March 30, 2011, at Mohali)

Pakistan v India - 2011 ICC World Cup Semi-Final

None of the three World Cup games in the decade came close to replicating the magic of 1996 or 2003. The 2011 World Cup semi-final was the closest match, though by no means a humdinger.

India batted first, and Virender Sehwag had rollicked away to 38 from 25 when he was trapped lbw by Wahab Riaz. Sachin Tendulkar was not in great nick but seemed to have luck on his side as he was dropped as many as four times en route to an unconvincing 85.

Tendulkar forged a crucial 68-run second-wicket stand with Gautam Gambhir (27). However, cheap dismissals of Virat Kohli (9), and Yuvraj Singh (0) left India in trouble. And, when the Master Blaster was finally dismissed, the Men in Blue were still not in a position of strength. Captain MS Dhoni (25) took India past 200, but it was Suresh Raina’s crucial cameo of 36 not out that ensured India finished at a competitive 260 for 9 despite Riaz’s 5 for 46.

Pakistan v India - 2011 ICC World Cup Semi-Final

Under pressure, Pakistan were ragged in the chase. Openers Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez added a brisk 44 in nine overs. However, once Zaheer Khan sent back Akmal for 19, and Munaf Patel had Hafeez caught behind for 43, the Men in Green fell away. Misbah-ul-Haq held one end up, making 56 from 76 and was the last man out, but his innings never threatened India.

Khan, Patel, Ashish Nehra, Harbhajan Singh, and Yuvraj Singh all picked up two scalps each as India overcame Pakistan by 29 runs.

#1. 4th Match, Asia Cup (June 19, 2010, at Dambulla)

Harbhajan Singh

Though not a World Cup clash, this was the most pulsating India-Pakistan encounter of the decade. Pakistan batted first in the game and posted a competitive 267 with crucial contributions all round. At the top, Salman Butt made 74 from 85 while Kamran Akmal provided the final flourish with 51 from 41, including three sixes. For India, Praveen Kumar was the most successful bowler with 3 for 53 while Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh picked up two wickets each.

India lost Virender Sehwag for an uncharacteristic 10 from 32 in the chase. Virat Kohli was then cleaned up by Saeed Ajmal for 18. Gautam Gambhir (83) and MS Dhoni (56) put the innings back on track adding 98 for the third wicket. However, Pakistan kept chipping away at the wickets to leave India tottering at 219 for 6. Ajmal was brilliant with 3 for 56.

Harbhajan Singh was involved in a verbal duel with Shoaib Akhtar

India had an unexpected batting trump card up their sleeve though. The Indians needed 36 from the last four overs when Singh lofted Shoaib Akhtar over wide long-on for six. At the other end, Suresh Raina kept coming up with crucial hits even as Akhtar and Harbhajan were having an unabashed go at each other. However, with six needed off five balls, Raina was run out going for a non-existent single. The equation came down to three off two balls when Harbhajan did a Miandad and smacked Mohammad Amir for six over midwicket.

Immediately after the big moment, Harbhajan let out a huge roar towards Akhtar, who reacted dismissively with a V sign and a wave of the hand. The Indo-Pak rivalry was alive and kicking.