India vs Pakistan at the Asian Cup: three classic games to relive | Cricket news

In sport, there is sometimes no better way to prepare for a fierce rivalry than to look at reruns or read summaries of the previous meetings.

And in cricket, there is no more important rivalry than India vs Pakistan.

The history of sport is adorned with historical clashes of India-Pakistan with each tournament and each decade.

With the teams that come together again in the T20 Asia Cup 2025, Al Jazeera Sport chooses the three classics of the Asian Cup India-Pakistan that you must review before Sunday’s meeting:

2010: Harbhajan is a last hero with the bat

The 2010 edition of the Asian Cup was a four -team tournament played entirely in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, where all the teams played a group phase of the Round, the first two passing to the final.

India beat Bangladesh while Pakistan lost against Sri Lanka, making their meeting on June 19 an essential for the team led by Shahid Afridi.

Pakistan opened with a 71 -point partnership between Salman Butt and Imran Farhat. A total of 267 followed the regular fall of the counters thereafter. The rapid designer of India, Praveen Kumar, picked up three counters, but it was the rotation of the left arm of Ravira Jadeja who kept Pakistan in check.

Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag opened the striker for the pursuit of India, and while Sehwag fell after an unusually slow round, Gambir continued while Captain Ms Dhoni cut with half a century.

India seemed to be well settled before Pakistan’s spinners hit the last third of their sleeves. Gambir, Rohit Sharma, Dhoni and Jadeja quickly fell into succession, leaving India in shock at 219-6 with 49 points required 29 balls.

The lowering of the lower order Suresh Raina was responsible for bringing India back to house alongside Harbhajan Singh, outside the spinner. Raina struck Ajmal for 12 out of 4 before three economic letters from Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Amir.

With eight points to defend in the final, Amir took an almost perfect start when Raina was running. In a desperate attempt to go on strike, Raina had a confusion with Harbhajan and exhausted himself, giving Pakistan the top. India needs seven out of four, with Kumar against Amir. A double and a simple brought Harbhajan on strike for the last two bullets.

Harbhajan, who had an altercation with Akhtar a few balls earlier, swung to a delivery of length, clearing Midwicket for a huge six. The turbancare then turned to Akhtar and let out a strong roar while the Indian dressing room celebrated wildly.

India was in the final and Pakistan had almost released.

Brief

Pakistan: 267 in 49.3 Overs – Salman Butt 74 (85), Kamran Akmal 51 (41); Praveen Kumar 3-53 in 10 Overs.
India: 271 in 49.5 Overs – Gautam Gambir 83 (97), MS Dhoni 56 (71); Saeed Ajmal 3-56 in 10 Overs.

2014: Afridi the seals with two six and one kiss

The round format continued for the 2010 tournament in Bangladesh.

As India faced Pakistan, the two teams had a victory and a defeat and needed a victory to strengthen their chances of a place in the final.

The races sank from Rohit Sharma’s bats on a rapid Mirpur field, and India seemed on the way to a large total despite the loss of Shikhar Dhawan early. Virat Kohli joined Rohit to break the Pakistani Pacers.

While Rohit went his happy path, India suffered a blow when Umar Gul rejected Kohli for five. Regular counters slowed down the rating rate of India, but they still displayed 245, thanks to a late development of Ambati Rayudi and Jadeja.

The higher order of Pakistan, in particular Mohammad Hafez, gave them a good start of prosecution. However, it was not long long before the twins of spin of India Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra forced a collapse worthy of a Pakistani renown. Four strikers were rejected in the space of 42 points.

Hafez began reconstruction with Sohaib Maqsood in an 87-point partnership, but the two were rejected in consecutive obliterates, leaving Pakistan to 203-6 off 45. The running of Maqsood, in particular, was a gift for India after a huge mixture in the middle of the lunchtime with Shahid Afridi, just after Pakistan.

Afridi, the latest recognized striker, was joined by Gul because Pakistan needs 43 out of 30 with four standing counters. Each Swing Afrida of his bat was welcomed with an apprehension while the versatile was known for having tried big strokes, whatever the situation of the match.

At first, he targeted Jadeja, hitting him for four and six in the 46th. The following, from Bhuvnehwar Kumar, also brought two limits before Mohammad Shami kept silent Pakistan in the 48th.

Kumar is the next one, with two counters and only three points, almost ended the hopes of Pakistan while Avidi looked at the end of the non-state.

The final has been handed over to Ashwin, which had taken 2-31 in its nine overs so far. The cunning spinner gave India the perfect start by the Bowling Ajmal first. Pakistani fans held their heads with disbelief while India celebrated wildly.

Junaid Khan was the last, and he played a perfect dab to pinch a simple, bringing Afridi on strike.

With nine necessary for four, the stadium retained its breath knowing that Avidi could influence the match in both cases.

While Ashwin began his stride of delivery, Afridi fell and swarmed hard on a short ball. The link between the two was in no way ideal, but Afridi’s power has erased the strings.

Afridi gave himself again with the ball closer to his body, but when has it already prevented Afridi from playing a risky blow? Another wild swing skiped the ball, but it has further erased the border.

Ashwin was all practical when the Indian team was incredulous.

Afridi was all arms raised widely in his celebration of brand star-man while Junaid kissed him. An Afrida Ravi gave a little kiss to Junaid on the cheek before the versatile star was assaulted by his teammates.

Brief

India: 245-8 EN 50 Overs – Rohit Sharma 56 (58), Ravi will Jadeja 52 (49); Saeed Ajmal 3-40 in 10 Overs.
Pakistan: 249-9 in 49.4 Overs – Mohammad Hafez 75 (117), Shahid Afridi 34 (18); Ravichandran Ashwin 3-44 in 9.4 Overs.

2016: Kohli wins over Amir in a thriller with a low score

The 2016 Asian Cup was the first played as T20 and produced unilateral group matches until India meets Pakistan in the fourth match of the round scene.

Pakistan lost Hafez to the fourth ball of the match.

A bad arbitration decision, with Khurram Manzoor surviving a shot, left furious India. However, the Dhoni team did not have to wait too long for the departure of Manzoor while Afridi’s men continued to fight on a ground with low score, losing counters to all the others.

In a total of 83, the 25 of Sarfaraz Ahmed were the only saving grace of Pakistan. Hhelik Pandya led the attack with three counters, but each of India’s quisors bypass, including a Bumrah jasprit at the time.

The prosecution was apparently simple, given the striker of India. Mohammad Amir, playing his first cup in Asia since his return to the team after his ban on cricket corruption, had other plans.

The left arm stimulator took an almost perfect beginning, hitting Rohit’s toes with a Yorker Swing, but for it to be judged not released. There was no survivor at the next inspiration, who struck the pads.

Kohli was as follows to face the pumped-up Amid, swinging the ball at his will. A single strike changed with the first ball of Ajinkya Rahane, ending up being his last, Amir bringing the ball into the right -hander viciously to hit his pads at the front.

The second of Amir and the third in India brought more LBW calls while Kohli was struck on the pads by another skilful delivery which straightened up, but failed to impress the referee. Amir had his reward for the next ball because Raina was the man to leave, reducing an easy to short-circuited take.

Kohli and Yuvraj Singh saw the fate of Amir, pushing towards the target. Kohli, in particular, showed steel nerves to see the sparkling swing of Amir.

The star of the Indian striker quickly harvested his award, however, settling down to withdraw the limits of all the quieurs, including the last of Amir.

The burden of India was interrupted in 15th row when Kohli fell on 49, followed by Pandya, but the total of the team was 76-3. The new Dhoni and Yuvraj striker took six other deliveries to complete the work.

India won five counters, but the match could have had a nervous final without the Kohli shiny.

Brief

Pakistan: 83 races in 17.3 Overs – Sarfaraz Ahmed 25 (24); Hhelik Pandya 3-8 in 3.3 Overs.
India: 85-5 flows in 15.3 Overs – Virat Kohli 49 (51); Mohammad Amir 3-18 in 4 Overs.