When we discuss cricket in the subcontinent, a quality part of the discussion revolves around the 2 giant powerhouses, Pakistan and India. It is a rivalry that, over the years, never ceases to amaze. However, Pakistan’s national cricket team is scheduled to come to India later this year to take on the neighboring nation in a much-anticipated Cricket WC 2023 match, the sport’s governing body revealed Tuesday. It will be the Pak team’s first trip to the rival country in 7 years if everything goes according to plan, but the 2 nuclear-armed neighbor countries are not rivals only on the cricketing fields.
Cause of edging:
When both teams take on each other on a cricket field, their fans root for them as if there is no tomorrow, and this is the ultimate battle they must conquer and cannot lose by any means. The International Cricket Council declared the fixture for the Cricket WC 2023. In the meantime, Pakistan vs. India is immediately considered one of the most power-packed face-offs.
The match is fixed for 15th October at the 132,000-seat Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. So, we are going to celebrate the mother of all battles very soon.
Firstly, the relations between India and Pakistan’s cricket teams have remained frosty, just like their political and diplomatic relations. Over the last decade, political tension has escalated on several occasions to military conflict. The 2 countries had seen several wars and remained locked in a persistent border issue since 1947 when the partition of British colonial India led to the creation of the 2 divided nations. So, it might be a reason for having an edge over Pakistan.
Secondly, Pakistan’s National Cricket Board (PCB) said Tuesday that it would need clearance from the country’s government to travel to India for the scheduled matches. Previously, Pakistan had refused to send the team to India. Even they threatened to boycott the tournament entirely unless the matches were held in neutral venues. Pakistan’s cricket team last traveled to India in 2016 for the T-20 World Cup, a shorter format; but both countries have not faced off in a full series for a long, playing only a few full-length matches since 2007 — all at neutral venues outside the countries.
Now, ICC officials have managed to go for a deal, with Pakistan offering a hybrid mode for the Asia Cup scheduled for September.
Pakistan will be hosting some matches, and the rest, including India’s matches, will be played in Sri Lanka. Pakistan was furious that India had rejected to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023, so their team would not go to India for the Cricket WC 2023. Here we can also find a reason for being edged by India.
Since the last 10-15 years, no significant peace talks have been held between India and Pakistan. Tension increased after a 2019 terror attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir, which even led to airstrikes from India. Pakistan’s Ex-Prime Minister and former legendary Pakistan cricket captain Imran Khan suggested peace talks with India to resolve the problems. However, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has refused to hold talks with Pakistan; accusing the country of being a supporter of cross-border terrorism. It is the main reason for an edge over Pakistan by India.
India vs. Pakistan Head-to-Head in ODI:
- Most run: IND- PAK- Inzamam-ul-Haq made 2403 runs in 64 innings, Sachin Tendulkar made 2526 runs in 67 innings
- Most hundreds: IND- PAK- Salman Butt (5), Sachin Tendulkar (5)
- PAK- IND- Javagal Srinath (6), Shahid Afridi (6): Most ducks:
- Highest individual score: PAK- IND- Virat Kohli (183), Saeed Anwar (194)
- Most wickets: PAK- IND- Anil Kumble (54 wickets in 33 innings), Wasim Akram (60 wickets in 47 innings)
- Best bowling figures in a match: IND- Sourav Ganguly (5/16), PAK- Aqib Javed (7/37)
Finishing lines:
Although both teams often get involved in nail-biting battles, India vs. Pakistan is not only on the pitch of cricket. Actually, it is much more than it. The factor which makes an Indo-Pak encounter is precisely the political relationship both countries share with each other. With that level of political impact as the backdrop; there was still no sharpness on whether the Pakistani government would grant the necessary permissions for the country’s cricket team to travel to India.
However, ten teams will play against each other for the top spot in the 46-day Cricket WC 2023 tournament. The series begins on Oct. 5. The games will be played in 10 different Indian cities, with the final scheduled for 19th November at Ahmedabad
