![[FILE] Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi in action during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup match between India and Pakistan at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, India, 14 October 2023. EFE-EPA/FILE/DIVYAKANT SOLANKI](https://i0.wp.com/efe.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/rss-efe33f662fe02d8697f8fe3b077e1406c8466db86bfw.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&ssl=1)
By Rita Cardeira
New Delhi, Dec 13 (EFE).– The cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan steeped in decades of political tension and conflict transcends beyond the battlefield to the pitch, and a loss is often seen as unforgivable—especially on home soil.
The cricketing rivalry remains a mirror of the complex South Asian political history, making every match a spectacle of passion, pride, and the lingering weight of unresolved tensions.
With the 2025 Champions Trophy looming in Pakistan, the battle for dominance has reignited.
Recently, the Indian government banned its men’s cricket team from participating in the tournament, citing security concerns in Pakistan.
India last played in Pakistan in February 2008, with matches since confined to neutral venues.
The Indian government’s primary concern stems from Pakistan’s history of instability, highlighted by the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team’s convoy in Lahore.
The attack left nine people dead, injured several players, and halted international cricket in Pakistan until 2015.
“Have they done anything to show that the country is safe and that our players will be safe there? They come to India because they have the conditions and facilities for it, but Pakistan is unable to solve its internal problems,” cricket analyst Krishna Tunga told EFE.
While the Indian team has avoided Pakistani soil for over 15 years, Pakistan has traveled to India several times, most recently during the 2023 World Cup.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has dismissed the idea of a hybrid model for the upcoming Champions Trophy—where India could play its matches in a neutral country—insisting on hosting the tournament within its borders.
From Partition to Persistent Tensions
The roots of this rivalry trace back to 1947, when the British partitioned India and Pakistan along religious lines. The division triggered widespread violence and the displacement of millions. The two nations have since clashed over the disputed Kashmir region, waging multiple wars.
Tensions worsened after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which left over 160 people dead. Allegedly carried out by a militant group of Pakistani origin, the attacks dealt a severe blow to India-Pakistan relations.
A Rivalry That Captivates Millions
This fraught history amplifies the intensity of their cricketing encounters, transforming them into some of the world’s most anticipated sporting events. Cricket, the dominant sport in both nations, serves as a stage for their geopolitical hostilities.
“The International Cricket Council (ICC) doesn’t conduct major tournaments like the Champions Trophy without ensuring that India and Pakistan will participate. This match between two rivals is essential to secure a significant part of the revenues from broadcasting rights or ticket sales,” Chirayu J, a sports journalist, told EFE.
The stakes for the ICC are high, with options like relocating the 2025 Champions Trophy to neutral venues, such as the UAE or Sri Lanka, gaining traction to guarantee India’s participation.
During the 2023 World Cup, the match between India and Pakistan drew a staggering 173 million television viewers and 225 million digital connections, according to the Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC).
Love-Hate Dynamics
Tunga likened the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry to historic feuds like England-France or Real Madrid-Barcelona, emphasizing its unique complexity.
“There is a love-hate relationship. It’s your neighbor because we share a border, but it’s still your almost lifelong rival. Our thinking is not ‘India has to win’; it’s ‘we have to defeat Pakistan’. The happiness of Indians depends on defeating the enemy without being humiliated,” he said.
The final match of the 1985 World Championship of Cricket played in Australia to commemorate the 150th anniversary of European settlement in the state of Victoria marked a turning point in the sporting rivalry, Tunga noted, recalling how India defeated Pakistan by eight wickets in almost a one-sided encounter.
“It was fun to watch, because we used to get hammered and then the tables were turned.” EFE
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