The rivalry between India and Pakistan is one of the most intense in the world of sports, with cricket being the most highly anticipated contest between the two nations. Since the partition of 1947, the two countries first faced off in a Test series in 1952, where India emerged victorious with a 2-1 win.
The first encounter between India and Pakistan in One Day International (ODI) cricket came in 1978, nearly seven years after the first-ever ODI was played between Australia and England. Since that time, the two teams have met 135 times in official ODI matches, making it the most frequent format of their encounters. Currently, Pakistan leads the head-to-head record 73-57, with five matches yielding no result.
The first India-Pakistan ODI was held on October 1, 1978, in Quetta as part of a three-match series during India’s tour of Pakistan. This match saw India, led by Bishen Singh Bedi, win by a mere four runs. India posted a total of 170/7, and Pakistan were restricted to 166/8. Mohinder Amarnath scored a crucial half-century in the match, earning the first-ever Player of the Match award in an India vs Pakistan ODI.
Although India triumphed in the opener, Pakistan leveled the series with an eight-wicket win in the second match in Sialkot. The decider in Sahiwal ended controversially when India’s captain, Bishen Bedi, conceded the game in protest against Sarfraz Nawaz’s short-pitched bowling. At the time, India was 183/2, chasing Pakistan’s 205/7. As a result, Pakistan, led by Mushtaq Mohammad, won the inaugural ODI series 2-1.
Overall, Pakistan has been more successful in the 17 bilateral ODI series between the two teams, winning 11, while India has claimed just five. There was one drawn series in 2006 in the UAE, which ended 1-1. The two teams have not faced each other in a bilateral ODI series since early 2013.
Bragging rights, however, change drastically when it comes to the ODI World Cup. India are currently unbeaten in all their eight meetings against Pakistan in the showpiece ICC tournament in the format. In the ICC Champions Trophy, Pakistan has won three times compared to India’s two. (With inputs from Olympics.com)