Asia Cup 2025: India's Big-Tournament Domination vs Pakistan Continues; Is It Even a Rivalry?

India and Pakistan met for the second time in Asia Cup 2025 in the span of one week. While the previous one was a Group A match, this one was a Super 4 clash. The result however was the same. India beat Pakistan by six wickets to get their Asia Cup Super 4 campaign off to the perfect start.

The Asia Cup defending champions and Asia Cup 2025 favourites won the match with seven balls remaining. Abhishek Sharma’s brisk 74 helped India chase down a target of 172. Earlier, Shivam Dube led the pack with 2/33 as Pakistan made 171/5.

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India’s Domination vs Pakistan

This victory only confirmed what has been a trend in this rivalry, if one can even call it that. Pakistan may have more wins in bilaterals and series but India dominate Pakistan when it comes to big-match tournaments. The numbers speak for themselves.

This was India’s 12th Asia Cup in 21 outings vs Pakistan. In Asia Cup T20Is, it was a fourth win in five games. But this is not just in the Asia Cup. The ICC tournaments also display more Indian domination. In the Champions Trophy it’s level at 3-3 in six games but in the two World Cups, it’s India all the way. In ODI World Cups since 1992, India have a 8-0 record vs Pakistan. In the T20 World Cup, India have a tally of 7-1 against Pakistan and that began in 2007. In other words when Pakistan face India in major tournaments, they falter.

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India vs Pakistan No Longer a Rivalry?

So can one even call this a rivalry? Yes, the political tensions add more spice to things but India in the recent past are way better than Pakistan. Even back when Pakistan had a strong side, India would eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner more often than not in the major competitions. There have been several intense rivalries in international cricket which exceed India vs Pakistan and now one can see why. It is just not the same anymore even when there’s an uneasy peace.

India’s Asia Cup 2025 Schedule

In the context of the tournament, this win takes India to the top of Asia Cup 2025 Super 4. Bangladesh slip to second place after their four-wicket win over Sri Lanka. India’s next Super 4 game is vs Bangladesh on September 24 and after that Sri Lanka on September 26. The top two teams will make it to the final on September 28. Will it be an India vs Pakistan Asia Cup final for the first time? That remains to be seen!