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India Vs Pakistan Matches That Happened Amidst Political Conflicts Between Two Nations

Anurag Dasgupta

IND Vs PAK Tension Matches [Source: @ICC/X.COM] IND Vs PAK Tension Matches [Source: @ICC/X.COM]

India is set to take on Pakistan in a riveting Asia Cup 2025 match on Sunday, September 14, and the stakes are high due to the ongoing tension between the two teams. Every time the two sides collide, political and emotional factors play a big role, and the same could happen in the upcoming game on Sunday.

Several former cricketers have decided to boycott the match due to the recent war-like situation, and amidst the ongoing turmoil, here are 3 previous instances when India and Pakistan collided during a state of war.

1) IND-PAK 1999 series

Despite heightened tension along the border, Pakistan toured India in 1999, and the two teams were involved in a fierce Test series. Amidst the horrific Kargil War, the two sides proceeded with the Test series, and the fans in India vandalized the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium (now Arun Jaitley Stadium).

The tensions were high, but despite all the conflicts, the series went ahead, and it was a riveting contest between India and Pakistan. The high-octane series was a great battle between two evenly-matched sides and it ended 1-1.

2) The 2011 World Cup semis

Due to the November 2008 Terror attack in Mumbai, India’s scheduled tour of Pakistan in 2009 was cancelled, and the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team led to Pakistan being removed as the co-host of the 2011 World Cup.

The semi-finals of the 2011 World Cup between India and Pakistan were hosted in Mohali, and tensions were high between the two teams. However, the Indian government invited the Pakistani Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, to watch the fierce semi-finale contest. Tempers flared in the game, but the hosts, India, prevailed in a close-fought contest.

3) The 2023 Asia Cup edition

Just like the 2025 Asia Cup contest, the marquee event two years ago had considerable political influence as India decided not to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup, citing security reasons. In retaliation, Pakistan threatened to boycott the 2023 World Cup in India.

However, after careful discussions, it was decided that the Asia Cup in 2023 will be hosted in a hybrid model, with all India games being played in Sri Lanka. Similarly, India was the host for the ongoing 2025 Asia Cup, but Pakistan decided to boycott the event, and eventually, the UAE was made the host for the tournament.