The ICC Cricket World Cup has a long and illustrious history between India and Pakistan. This rivalry has produced some of the most intense and highly-watched matches in cricket history. India has had the upper hand in recent World Cup encounters, but the passion and excitement surrounding an India-Pakistan match remain unparalleled in the cricketing world.
In the men’s ODI World Cup, India and Pakistan have squared off seven times – in 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2011, 2015, and 2019 – with India emerging victorious in all the seven encounters.
As the cricketing world gears up for the arch-rivals to lock horns with each other for the eighth time in the ODI World Cup on 14 October in Ahmedabad, let's look back at how those past encounters played out:
1992 – India Won by 43 Runs (Sydney)
India and Pakistan squared off against one other for the first time at the 1992 World Cup in Sydney. India scored 216/7 in 49 overs thanks to the opening batsman Ajay Jadeja's 46 runs and Sachin Tendulkar's unbeaten 54 runs. A slow over rate from Pakistan caused the game to be shortened to 39 overs. In response, Pakistan lost two early wickets for just 17 runs. However, a third wicket partnership of 88 runs was established by Aamer Sohail and Javed Miandad. Sohail and Miandad each scored 40 and 60 runs, respectively, but their efforts were futile as Pakistan were ultimately dismissed for 173 runs. India won by 43 runs.
1996 – India Won by 39 Runs (Bangalore)
The 1996 ICC Cricket World Cup match between India and Pakistan took place on March 9, 1996, in Bangalore. India batted first and scored a formidable total of 287 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. Navjot Singh Sidhu's outstanding 93-run performance was the pinnacle of India's innings.
In response, Pakistan faced a daunting task of chasing down the target in front of a passionate Indian crowd. They started well but lost wickets at regular intervals. India's bowlers, led by Venkatesh Prasad and Anil Kumble, put up a strong performance. Prasad took three crucial wickets, and Kumble took four. Pakistan ultimately managed to score 248 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in their 50 overs, falling short of India's total by 39 runs.
1999 – India Won by 47 Runs (Manchester)
The third India vs. Pakistan encounter at the ODI World Cup took place on 8 June, 1999, at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester, England. Batting first, India posted a total of 227 runs for the loss of 6 wickets. Sourav Ganguly was the standout performer for India, scoring 61 runs.
Riding on a stellar bowling performance by Venkatesh Prasad, who claimed 5 wickets for just 27 runs, India defeated Pakistan by 47 runs and held them to a score of 187.
2003 – India Won by 29 Runs (Centurion)
The India vs. Pakistan match in the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup, held at Centurion in South Africa, was a highly anticipated clash. In this crucial encounter, Sachin Tendulkar’s knock of 98 runs helped India post a challenging total of 300 runs. Pakistan's retort saw them set a challenging goal, but they did so with grit. With Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan at the helm, the Indian bowlers, however, excelled. India registered a 29-run victory as they knocked Pakistan out for 273 runs.
2011 – India Won by 29 Runs (Mohali)
Another thrilling match between the bitter rivals took place in the 2011 World Cup semifinal between India and Pakistan in Mohali. India won the toss, elected to bat first and posted a total of 260/9 in their 50 overs despite a few setbacks. India's innings was anchored by Sachin Tendulkar's masterful innings of 85 runs and Suresh Raina's crucial 36 not out.
Wahab Riaz of Pakistan claimed five wickets, taking out MS Dhoni, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, and Zaheer Khan. However, Pakistan's batters battled against India's spinners in response, and they were dismissed for 231 runs. In the end, India triumphed, winning by 29 runs and earning a spot in the World Cup final.
2015 – India Won by 76 Runs (Adelaide)
The India vs Pakistan match in the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, held in Adelaide, was another chapter in the storied rivalry between these two cricketing giants. India batted first and scored a whopping 300 runs at the loss of 7 wickets, with Virat Kohli being the standout performer with a brilliant century. He scored 107 runs in 126 balls and had one of the most calculated innings of his career.
Pakistan, in pursuit of this target faltered under the pressure. Indian bowlers led by Mohit Sharma and Mohammad Shami put up a strong display, ultimately bowling out Pakistan for 224 runs. India emerged victorious by 76 runs.
2019 – India Won by 89 Runs (Manchester)
Pakistan and India played their last world cup match at Manchester in 2019. In this high-stakes encounter, Rohit Sharma's brilliant century in this crucial match was a key factor in helping India amass a massive 336 run total. Pakistan faced a steep chase, but the Indian bowlers, led by Vijay Shankar and Kuldeep Yadav, maintained control, consistently taking wickets. When play resumed following a rain delay, Pakistan was forced to chase a new, insurmountable target. India won by 89 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method.
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