India vs Pakistan in cricket is not even a rivalry anymore, at least that’s what India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav believes. With India beating Pakistan for a seventh consecutive time across ODIs and T20Is, it has become a lop-sided affair. India have already cruised past Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 twice. While Suryakumar made a bold statement, Pakistan’s former captain and speedster Shaheen Afridi responded, warning that India haven’t yet reached the Asia Cup final and Pakistan are in Dubai to win the tournament.
“Final tak na wo pahoche hain, na hum. Jab ayenge to dekh lenge. Humara kaam hai Asia Cup jitna ( Neither they have reached the final nor have we. Once both teams get there, we’ll see. Our job is to win the Asia Cup),” Shaheen Afridi said at the pre-match press conference ahead of Pakistan vs Bangladesh on Sep 25.
Afridi also defended Hari Rauf, who tried to mock Indian fans by gesturing 6-0, in reference to Pakistan’s claims that they shot down six Indian jets during Operation Sindoor. However, independent media could not verify such a claim. Shahibzada Farhan used his bat as a gun to celebrate his half-century against India.
“Look, our job is to play cricket. Honestly, everyone has the right to express themselves the way they want to. Everyone has their own respect. Everyone thinks the way they think. We have come to win the Asia Cup. And god willing, as a team, we will. We are doing our best,” Afridi added.
What did Suryakumar Yadav say?
Suryakumar Yadav has never let a chance go by to take a dig at India’s arch-rivals, Pakistan. In the backdrop of Pakistan’s Asia Cup drama, where many former Pakistani players and the current ones made objectionable gestures towards India, he refused to shake hands. SKY also dedicated the victory over Pakistan to the families of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack and the Indian armed forces that launched Operation Sindoor against the same country.
On Sunday, India beat Pakistan for a seventh consecutive time, with Abhishek Sharma launching an assault with the bat. When a reporter asked if the rivalry had become rather one-sided, SKY responded, saying it’s not a rivalry anymore.
“I would like to say one thing on this question. I feel that you should stop asking this question about the rivalry. Standards and rivalry are the same. According to me, if two teams play 15-20 matches and if it is 7-7 or 8-7, then that is called a rivalry. But 13-0, 10-1….I don’t know what the stats are. But this is not a rivalry anymore. But yeah, I feel we played better cricket than them,” Suryakumar Yadav said after IND vs PAK.
IND vs PAK: Is it a rivalry?
While India vs Pakistan cricket matches have produced some last-over or last-ball thrillers and some great performances, it has become a lop-sided affair in the last two decades. Pakistan still lead on overall head-to-head record, winning 88 matches to India’s 78. But since 2010, India have won 23 of 31 matches. Pakistan’s last win over India was in the Asia Cup 2022 in Dubai.
But since Virat Kohli’s scintillating knock in Melbourne, India have won each of the seven encounters comfortably. In ODIs, Pakistan last won against India back in the 2017 Champions Trophy final. Since then, India have won six matches in a row.
| Result | Margin | Format | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| lost | 5 wickets | T20I | Dubai | 4 Sep 2022 |
| won | 4 wickets | T20I | Melbourne | 23 Oct 2022 |
| No Result | – | ODI | Pallekele | 2 Sep 2023 |
| won | 228 runs | ODI | Colombo | 10 Sep 2023 |
| won | 7 wickets | ODI | Ahmedabad | 14 Oct 2023 |
| won | 6 runs | T20I | New York | 9 Jun 2024 |
| won | 6 wickets | ODI | Dubai | 23 Feb 2025 |
| won | 7 wickets | T20I | Dubai | 14 Sep 2025 |
| won | 6 wickets | T20I | Dubai | 21 Sep 2025 |
