One of the most intense sporting rivalry in the cricketing world is set to be renewed this Sunday, 18 June. India and Pakistan go head to head in the finals of the ICC Champions trophy tournament taking place in England at The Oval.
Sparked by communal tension that saw British India partition into India and Pakistan, this cricketing rivalry has been and always will be a thrill ride for fans on both sides. An India-Pakistan match has been said to draw a viewership of almost a billion, In fact the tickets for their recent World Cup 2015 match sold out in 12 mins.
This is the first time Pakistan is playing in the finals of the Champions Trophy, India is the defending champions having won the trophy in 2013 for the second time beating England in the finals. India has appeared at 4 finals and won it twice(Australia has won twice also).
Head to Head, In Champions Trophy history Pakistan has the winning edge with wins on 2 out of 3 occasions.
| Year | Result | Round |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 Tournament | Pakistan won by 3 wickets | First Round/Group Stages |
| 2009 Tournament | Pakistan won by 54 runs | First Round/Group Stages |
| 2013 Tournament | India won by 8 wickets | First Round/Group Stages |
In major ICC tournament knockout meetings, India has bested their arch rivals on 3 occasions.
| Tournament | Result |
|---|---|
| 1996 World Cup Quarter Final | India won by 39 runs |
| 2007 World T20 Finals | India won by 5 runs to become the first ever World T20 Champions |
| 2011 World Cup Semi-Finals | India won by 29 runs |
In 2011 India also went on to win the World Cup against Sri Lanka in Mumbai, India.
A look at how far each team has reached at past champions trophies points to India being in the historical drivers seat.
| Year | India | Pakistan |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Semi Finals | Quarter Finals |
| 2000 | Runner Up | Semi Finals |
| 2002 | Winners | First Round Exit |
| 2004 | First Round Exit | Semi Finals |
| 2006 | First Round Exit | First Round Exit |
| 2009 | First Round Exit | Semi Finals |
| 2013 | Winners | First Round Exit |
| 2017 | In The Finals | In The Finals |
As with any sport, no matter the stats anyone can win and the winners at the end of any India-Pakistan cricket match are always the fans. We are looking forward to a thriller on Sunday.
