India-Pakistan Rivalry Isn't Dead! Terms And Conditions Apply

Bhargav Dixit

Fans with India and Pakistan flags (Source: AP Photos)Fans with India and Pakistan flags (Source: AP Photos)

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Former India captain Virat Kohli extended a warm-hearted welcome to former Pakistan captain Babar Azam in Dubai today. With the fielders taking positions before the batters, Kohli and Azam made it a point to greet each other before the first ball was bowled.

Such displays of camaraderie have become common in modern-day India-Pakistan matches. As much as the fans yearn for intense rivalries of the past, all they’re served with are mushy instances of bromance between grown-up men. With jingoism facepalming in the background, the narrative of India-Pakistan matches losing its hype hogs limelight.

Has India-Pakistan Rivalry Lost Its Sheen?

Well, it depends on the definition of sheen for you.

In reality, India-Pakistan matches haven’t lost the competitive sheen in the recent years. While both the neighboring countries haven’t played a Test match in the last 17 years, white-ball matches between them have gone down to the wire lately.

However, A-list players neither hurling abuses on the field nor casually mocking opponents off it, unlike the past generations, end up becoming a source of disappointment for bloodthirsty fans. Not satisfied by the real on-field game-related entertainment, fans continue to be bereft of the kind of entertainment they expect from a match between two countries who are mostly touted as “enemies”.

India-Pakistan Rivalry Revived Since 2019

The ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025 match is the 18th clash between these two nations in the last decade. Barring ICC Champions Trophy 2017 final, the first half of this decade was unfortunate enough to witness one-sided clashes resulting in Indian victories.

That being said, things have changed quite a lot since ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. While Pakistan have started winning of late for the greater good of this rivalry, some Indian victories have seen them fighting exceedingly hard to seal last-over thrillers.

Irrespective of the winner, what these matches have done is bring the rivalry back to life by justifying the ballyhoo around one of the biggest contests in international sport. Hence, even if contemporary India-Pakistan players aren’t coming to blows, them leaving no stone unturned with regard to their primary job is a blessing for cricket.

On paper, India have started a 242-run chase as frontrunners. Having said that, on this sticky Dubai International Cricket Stadium pitch, tables could turn anytime. Thereby, expect neck-and-neck competition especially if Pakistani bowlers are able to pick early wickets. If they manage to do so, the next three hours on a Sunday evening could be etched in the collective memories of fans for the years to come.