India takes on Pakistan in a Champions Trophy 2025 match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Ahead of the high-profile encounter, we take a look at five of the most iconic contests between the subcontinental giants across all formats.
Centurion, 2003 (ODI)
India’s Sachin Tendulkar in action against Pakistan in the 2003 ODI World Cup.
| Photo Credit:
AFP
India’s Sachin Tendulkar in action against Pakistan in the 2003 ODI World Cup.
| Photo Credit:
AFP
The teams were well matched. It was a placid track and just the platform for a great game of cricket in the World Cup. It turned out to be one. Saeed Anwar slammed a brilliant century that laid the foundation for Pakistan’s 273 for seven. Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag gave India a blistering start (53 in 5.4 overs) and Pakistan never recovered from it.
Mohammad Kaif, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh built on the marvellous start to finish the game with 26 balls to spare. Tendulkar’s determined assault (98 off 75 balls) was the highlight of India’s glittering show that wonderful night.
Johannesburg, 2007 (T20)
India celebrates its victory in the final match of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup against Pakistan.
| Photo Credit:
GETTY IMAGES
India celebrates its victory in the final match of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup against Pakistan.
| Photo Credit:
GETTY IMAGES
After the ‘bowl-out’ win in the league stage, India was expected to dominate Pakistan in the final of the inaugural World Twenty20. Thanks to Gautam Gambhir’s 75, India set up a decent target of 158. Pakistan appeared to be cruising before it suffered a slump only to recover and put India in a spot.
Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq held the key and the way he batted indicated a Pakistan win. With Joginder Sharma bowling the final over, Misbah scooped the third ball high, only to be caught by S. Sreesanth at short fine-leg. With it ended Pakistan’s innings, as the team fell short by five runs.
Chennai, 1999 (Test)
The sporting Chennai crowd giving a standing ovation to Pakistani players as they go on a victory lap after beating India in the first Test match at Chepauk.
| Photo Credit:
BALAJI N/The Hindu
The sporting Chennai crowd giving a standing ovation to Pakistani players as they go on a victory lap after beating India in the first Test match at Chepauk.
| Photo Credit:
BALAJI N/The Hindu
A great match followed by a greater reception for Pakistan after it won the battle. Sachin Tendulkar’s classic effort failed to help India, as it lost by 12 runs. However, what stood out was the gracious response from the spectators at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, who cheered the Pakistan players as they ran a lap of honour around the ground.
It was a close contest, no doubt, as Pakistan, riding on Shahid Afridi’s magnificent 141, stifled an equally brilliant 136 by Tendulkar. To this day, Wasim Akram raves about the wonderful spirit showed by the Chennai spectators.
Sharjah, 1986 (ODI)
Javed Miandad: Pakistan’s man of destiny hits Madan Lal for six in the
end overs, on his way to an epic finish in the Australasia Cup final in Sharjah.
Javed Miandad: Pakistan’s man of destiny hits Madan Lal for six in the
end overs, on his way to an epic finish in the Australasia Cup final in Sharjah.
Javed Miandad broke countless Indian hearts with a stunning shot that gave Pakistan, needing four runs off the last ball, a victory to cherish in the final of the Austral-Asia Cup. Chetan Sharma, attempting to york Miandad, saw the ball disappear into the stands behind mid-wicket, and with it began a new chapter in India-Pakistan cricket.
Miandad’s knock (116 off 114 balls, three fours and three sixes) was a masterpiece. At no point did he appear in any discomfort and was rarely hustled into playing a false shot. The defeat haunted India for quite some time.
Bangalore, 1996 (ODI)
Venkatesh Prasad sends off Aamir Sohail after dismissing him in the 1996 World Cup game.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Venkatesh Prasad sends off Aamir Sohail after dismissing him in the 1996 World Cup game.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
The city was tense and the cricket administration was on tenterhooks ahead of the World Cup match between India and Pakistan. As the host, the pressure, obviously, was on India, but Pakistan was in no different state. India batted and set up a stiff target of 288, thanks to N. S. Sidhu’s valuable 93 and then a pulsating charge by Ajay Jadeja — 45 off 25 balls — that left Pakistan stunned.
Pakistan had the chase under control, but Venkatesh Prasad getting rid of opener Aamer Sohail proved to be the turning point. India won by 39 runs, but it was a closer match than the margin suggests.
EXCERPT FROM – Most iconic moments from IND vs PAK matches across formats