The cricketing powerhouses renew their storied rivalry in the most hotly-anticipated match of the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday.
Cricketing powerhouses India and Pakistan renew their storied rivalry in the most hotly-anticipated match of the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai on Sunday.
AFP Sport looks back at six memorable one-day international matches between the bitter rivals ahead of their latest clash.
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Miandad six (April 18, 1986 — Sharjah)
Javed Miandad’s last-ball six at the desert venue arguably remains the most dramatic ODI outcome between the two sides as Pakistan clinched a one-wicket victory.
Pakistan needed 246 to win in 50 overs and Miandad walked in at 61-3 to hit an unbeaten 116 off 114 balls.
With four needed off the final delivery, Indian fast bowler Chetan Sharma bowled a full toss and Miandad blasted the ball into the crowd to trigger wild celebrations among the Pakistan team and fans.
Miandad was later presented with a golden sword for his heroics.
Imran stings (March 22, 1985 — Sharjah)
Imran Khan’s best bowling figures of 6-14 were in a one-day international against India but for the flamboyant Pakistan fast bowler, it was all in vain.
Imran ripped through the Indian batting line-up at Sharjah to send the opposition packing for 125.
But Pakistan’s own batting imploded, skittled for just 87 with Ramiz Raja, top-scorer with 29, one of only four batters in double figures.
Ajay Jadeja fires (March 9, 1996 — Bangalore)
India’s Ajay Jadeja blasted a 25-ball 45 in a late blitz that helped India knock out holders Pakistan in a highly-charged World Cup quarter-final.
Jadeja was severe on Pakistan’s ageing Waqar Younis as he hit the pace bowler for four fours and two sixes in the final few overs to propel the total to 287-8.
In reply, Pakistan were sailing along when opener Aamir Sohail smashed India’s Venkatesh Prasad for a boundary before sledging his opponent.
But Venkatesh got the left-handed batsman bowled on the next ball to bring the house down and Pakistan lost their way to lose by 39 runs.
Shahid Afridi’s last over heroics (March 2, 2014 — Dhaka)
Shahid Afridi smashed two consecutive sixes off Ravichandran Ashwin in the final over as Pakistan defeated India by one wicket in Dhaka, virtually knocking the arch-rivals out of the 2014 Asia Cup.
Pakistan, chasing India’s 245-8, needed nine runs off the last four balls after losing their way from a seemingly winning position to slump from 200-4 to 236-9 at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.
But the seasoned Afridi sealed his side’s win with two mighty hits off the next two deliveries to keep Pakistan afloat in the five-nation tournament with their second win in three matches.
Tendulkar rules (March 1, 2003 — Centurion)
Sachin Tendulkar won many matches for India but his 98 against Pakistan at the 2003 World Cup remains special due to his duel with the world’s fastest bowler Shoaib Akhtar.
Tendulkar stood tall in his 75-ball knock that guided India in their chase of 274 against a Pakistan bowling line-up boasting Wasim Akram, Waqar and Akhtar.
He uppercut one of Akhtar’s express deliveries to a delightful six over third man — a shot that became iconic in Tendulkar’s career.
Akhtar later got Tendulkar’s wicket by bouncing him out but the damage had been done and India won by six wickets.
Zaman special (June 18, 2017 — London)
Pakistan came in as underdogs in the Champions Trophy final, but demolished India by 180 runs, riding on a sparkling century by Fakhar Zaman.
Zaman’s 114 off 106 balls and a 128-run opening stand with Azhar Ali guided Pakistan to a mammoth 338 for four and deflated Virat Kohli’s India at The Oval.
![Mohammad Amir celebrates taking the wicket of India’s Virat Kohli in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final. — AFP/File]
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The left-hander clobbered the Indian attack, including fast bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, hitting 12 fours and three sixes.
Pakistan’s bowlers then came out firing and dismissed India for just 158 in 30.3 overs despite Hardik Pandya’s 76.
Fast bowler Hasan Ali took 3-19 and Muhammad Amir took 3-28 to decimate the Indian batting lineup.
Header image: Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman celebrates his century during the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy Final between Pakistan and India at the Oval on June 18, 2017. — Reuters
