Rivalry with India masks Pakistan cricket’s waning relevance in the world of cricket

[FearlessRoar]

As a Pakistani cricket fan I have to say that Pakistan is just surviving because of its rivalry with India. Otherwise we’re not really relevant anymore. Big teams like England and Australia don’t see us as a serious threat, and that’s a harsh reality we have to face.

The rivalry with India gives us that extra push but without it our weaknesses are clear. Our batters struggle to build solid innings and our bowlers, especially in the death overs can’t keep the pressure on. Outside of India games our performances are inconsistent and we rarely see those match-winning moments.

This rivalry has been our safety net covering up the real issues in our cricket. We don’t have a deep talent pool and we’re not producing enough players who can take charge in any situation. When we play other teams our lack of structure and development becomes obvious.

Share your thoughts

 

[AMSS]

I thought I was going to read a real take on the state of pakistan cricket.

But reading the OP you could be forgiven to think Pakistan has been dominating India whenever they play against each other.

LMAO

 

[FearlessRoar]

I thought I was going to read a real take on the state of pakistan cricket.

But reading the OP you could be forgiven to think Pakistan has been dominating India whenever they play against each other.

LMAO

Of course since 2010 we have not been good enough against India and if we had regular series and matches with them our record of winning more ODIs and Tests would have already been broken.

 

[FearlessRoar]

As a Pakistani cricket fan I have to say that Pakistan is just surviving because of its rivalry with India. Otherwise Pakistan is no longer relevant—big teams like England and Australia don’t even consider Pakistan a threatening side anymore. @Hitman @Rajdeep @Bhaag Viru Bhaag @cricketjoshila @Bhaijaan @Nikhil_cric

 

[jnaveen1980]

Pakistan generally relies on short term plan. They played a B team against afghanistan. Couple of losses. Full panic mode and reverted back to full squad for next series. So bench strength is poor.

 

[Bhaijaan]

As a Pakistani cricket fan I have to say that Pakistan is just surviving because of its rivalry with India. Otherwise Pakistan is no longer relevant—big teams like England and Australia don’t even consider Pakistan a threatening side anymore. @Hitman @Rajdeep @Bhaag Viru Bhaag @cricketjoshila @Bhaijaan @Nikhil_cric

I respectfully disagree brother.
Even in its worst phase Pakistan pulled off a T20 World Cup and a Champions Trophy heist beating all the major teams along the way. Outside of this they have had a few unsuccessful finals appearances as well and many semi finals.

The passion Pakistanis have for cricket is unmatched. They’re the only mid table team who can on any given day change gears to play like a top cricket team. Pakistani cricket fans are the best fans in the world who have supported their team with great passion through thick and thin.

Pakistan is an extremely important country in Cricket and honestly its decline as a consistently top cricket nation has not been good for the health of the game. Cricket is always a better sport when Pakistan is playing great.

I still have them as a semi final contender for the CT and from there on it’s anyone’s game.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

As a Pakistani cricket fan I have to say that Pakistan is just surviving because of its rivalry with India. Otherwise Pakistan is no longer relevant—big teams like England and Australia don’t even consider Pakistan a threatening side anymore. @Hitman @Rajdeep @Bhaag Viru Bhaag @cricketjoshila @Bhaijaan @Nikhil_cric

How is it possible when India and Pakistan don't even play bilateral series? After 2009, Pakistan went through its toughest phase, with no home cricket for almost a decade. Yet they survived and overcame those challenges.

Still your team is not that strong and India will be favourites to win against Pakistan on 23rd February 2025.

@Deva

 

[jnaveen1980]

I respectfully disagree brother.
Even in its worst phase Pakistan pulled off a T20 World Cup and a Champions Trophy heist beating all the major teams along the way. Outside of this they have had a few unsuccessful finals appearances as well and many semi finals.

The passion Pakistanis have for cricket is unmatched. They’re the only mid table team who can on any given day change gears to play like a top cricket team. Pakistani cricket fans are the best fans in the world who have supported their team with great passion through thick and thin.

Pakistan is an extremely important country in Cricket and honestly its decline as a consistently top cricket nation has not been good for the health of the game. Cricket is always a better sport when Pakistan is playing great.

I still have them as a semi final contender for the CT and from there on it’s anyone’s game.

Pakistan is a bowling team. Most of their miracle wins were due to bowling. They can suddenly be cohesive, united as a unit feeding off each other. But oflate that is not happening mostly because their spin attack is mediocre.

 

[Mesozoic]

Outside of India games our performances are inconsistent and we rarely see those match-winning moments.

Pakistan have lost 12 out of the 15 matches against India in the past decade (2015-present).

The last time they have won 2 consecutive games against India (irrespective of format) was in the 2012-13 series. Since then all their wins have been one off flukes sandwiched by a bunch of losses on either side.

I have no idea what consistency you're talking about..consistency in getting beaten?

 

[pakistani pride]

Pakistan generally relies on short term plan. They played a B team against afghanistan. Couple of losses. Full panic mode and reverted back to full squad for next series. So bench strength is poor.

mehhh
there is no talent, the last 10 years or so have really shown that.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Pakistan cricket is going through it's rough patch courtesy of buffoonery in PCB

 

[FearlessRoar]

I respectfully disagree brother.
Even in its worst phase Pakistan pulled off a T20 World Cup and a Champions Trophy heist beating all the major teams along the way. Outside of this they have had a few unsuccessful finals appearances as well and many semi finals.

The passion Pakistanis have for cricket is unmatched. They’re the only mid table team who can on any given day change gears to play like a top cricket team. Pakistani cricket fans are the best fans in the world who have supported their team with great passion through thick and thin.

Pakistan is an extremely important country in Cricket and honestly its decline as a consistently top cricket nation has not been good for the health of the game. Cricket is always a better sport when Pakistan is playing great.

I still have them as a semi final contender for the CT and from there on it’s anyone’s game.

I don't think any top side like Australia is really interested in playing Test or ODI series against Pakistan. For example in the recent ODI series against Pakistan Australia benched their full-strength team for the last two matches to prioritize the BGT.

The point is if there’s no viewership or financial benefit no top team really cares about playing against Pakistan. Pakistani fans are starting to feel this because it’s not the first time, it has happened many times before. Pakistan has often ended up playing Australia’s or New Zealand’s B, C or even D teams instead of their best XI.

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

Pakistan cricket has been cashing the checks on the capital that IK gathered in his era in 80s & 90s.

Plus there is a misconception that Pak vs. Ind is a rivalry, it's animosity. It's like two groups of people that hate each other vehemently one day find out that they can also play a sport together.

Ira vs. USA
Ukr vs. Rus

etc.

A sporting rivalry requires a fine balance of power, shared values & mutual respect built over decades e.g. historically Eng vs. Aus & currently Aus vs. ind.

 

[TheSultan]

Forget India, Pakistan is becoming irrelevant because for too long we have played an atrocious and boring brand of cricket. Not only that, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. We just continue this boring, passive brand of cricket over and over again.

From the batting in all formats, over emphasis on the overhyped babar and Rizwan, to the 120k bowling in test matches. Who the heck wants to watch that nonsense? I’m a hardcore Pakistan fan and even I can’t be bothered to switch on half the time.

Even the international commentators struggle what to talk about with Pakistan - so they just look up soundbites like “oh yes, babaaar….”, “rizwan street fighter…”, “Pakistan is blessed with pace bowlers”.

It’s all nonsense, none of that exists in the current state of Pakistan cricket.

We are a boring, boring, smiley jokey useless side. There’s nothing exciting about our cricket, there is not even any needle, no passion, no aggression. And no one even wants to change. You’d think somewhere along the line, someone in our cricket will let ego and pride get in the way and say “hey I don’t like being branded coward”.

But no, they are happy with it. I’m sick to death of pak cricket. Utterly boring and useless

 

[jnaveen1980]

I don't think any top side like Australia is really interested in playing Test or ODI series against Pakistan. For example in the recent ODI series against Pakistan Australia benched their full-strength team for the last two matches to prioritize the BGT.

The point is if there’s no viewership or financial benefit no top team really cares about playing against Pakistan. Pakistani fans are starting to feel this because it’s not the first time, it has happened many times before. Pakistan has often ended up playing Australia’s or New Zealand’s B, C or even D teams instead of their best XI.

No team plays best XI in bilateral that too ODIs unless it is part of complete tour. Even then they send key players home and bring the fresh players for other formats. India infact sends a completely different team while the main team is touring in some other place.

 

[topspin]

I think cricket in a whole is dying and everyone is somewhat keeping themselves a float because of India. Without them, this sport would've been extinct by now.

 

[Kianig89]

More than rivalry it's becoming Indian hypocrisy why don't they just boycott Pakistan in tournaments or atleast use their muscle to put them in different groups.

Just goes on to show how much rich or powerful BCCI gets they still need Pakistan to boost their chest

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Pakistan cricket need a total revamp

 

[Hitman]

As a Pakistani cricket fan I have to say that Pakistan is just surviving because of its rivalry with India. Otherwise Pakistan is no longer relevant—big teams like England and Australia don’t even consider Pakistan a threatening side anymore. @Hitman @Rajdeep @Bhaag Viru Bhaag @cricketjoshila @Bhaijaan @Nikhil_cric

I can't speak for others, but I'm still fond of the India vs Pakistan rivalry. True, it's not a red hot as it was in the 90's when we were weaker, but nonetheless I still love it.

 

[moghul]

As a Pakistani cricket fan I have to say that Pakistan is just surviving because of its rivalry with India. Otherwise we’re not really relevant anymore. Big teams like England and Australia don’t see us as a serious threat, and that’s a harsh reality we have to face.

The rivalry with India gives us that extra push but without it our weaknesses are clear. Our batters struggle to build solid innings and our bowlers, especially in the death overs can’t keep the pressure on. Outside of India games our performances are inconsistent and we rarely see those match-winning moments.

This rivalry has been our safety net covering up the real issues in our cricket. We don’t have a deep talent pool and we’re not producing enough players who can take charge in any situation. When we play other teams our lack of structure and development becomes obvious.

Share your thoughts

I agree . Pakistan cricket is deteriorating fast and what other proof we need after ending up at the lowest ranking in current WTC. Excitement in every India-Pakistan match is also has faded a lot due to the widening gap between two teams and the result is predictable most of the time .

Until early 2000, we used to have cricket parties to watch every India-Pakistan match as there was also some hope of Pakistan beating India but that hope has faded away and those cricket parties are now thing of the past, at least in my circle of friends .

 

[saimayubera]

I respectfully disagree brother.
Even in its worst phase Pakistan pulled off a T20 World Cup and a Champions Trophy heist beating all the major teams along the way. Outside of this they have had a few unsuccessful finals appearances as well and many semi finals.

The passion Pakistanis have for cricket is unmatched. They’re the only mid table team who can on any given day change gears to play like a top cricket team. Pakistani cricket fans are the best fans in the world who have supported their team with great passion through thick and thin.

Pakistan is an extremely important country in Cricket and honestly its decline as a consistently top cricket nation has not been good for the health of the game. Cricket is always a better sport when Pakistan is playing great.

I still have them as a semi final contender for the CT and from there on it’s anyone’s game.

I disagree with your disagreement lol.

A lot of people including Pakistanis quote this but it is wrong.

2017 CT agreed. That was against the norm.

But other than that, the 2010 T20 WC win and most of the semi/final appearances were in T20 where Pakistan were one of the top teams in the initial days. Pakistan with it's all rounders and bowling were one of the better teams in the late 2000s and early 2010s so their good performances in the T20 WCs of that era were not them performing above their potential, they were performing to their potential.

It is now that they have become a poor T20 team with their batsmen having low SRs compared to the modern game.

As far as ODI cricket is concerned, they have generally been poor in WCs this century except for the 2011 WC where they did well on the back of their bowling. Even CTs other than 2017, they have been generally poor.

A similar example would be WI.

Their CT win in 2004 was a surprise but not their T20WC wins in 2012 and 2016 when they were one of the top T20 teams in the world with their all rounders and heavy hitting batsmen. In fact, they popularized the current "bang bang bang from the beginning" approach which is the de facto standard in T20 cricket now.

 

[Itachi]

It's a blessing in disguise

The happiness that Pakistan may get beating India, no other events could match it. And since it's rare, it has its own charm.

 

[Savak]

Rivalry with India? The last ODI Pakistan won against India was the 2017 CT final and the last T20 Pakistan won against India was during the Asia Cup in 2022 mind you with one ball to spare in which India didn't even have Bhumrah or Shami.

Pakistans record against India after 2009 is frankly embarrassing where we have lost 95% of our games against them. Kohli has bossed Pakistan every time.

There is no rivalry anymore. Pakistan is just lucky that the ICC milks the interest in fans in the matches bw the two countries but let's face it, the financing for these games comes 100% from India

Pakistan is lucky that India is subsidizing Pakistan Cricket via the ICC revenue distribution table because the day Modi Sarkar announces that not a single penny from the Indian economy and Indian private sector will go to Pakistan or Pakistan Cricket, Pakistan Cricket will collapse in no time.

 

[moghul]

Rivalry with India? The last ODI Pakistan won against India was the 2017 CT final and the last T20 Pakistan won against India was during the Asia Cup in 2022 mind you with one ball to spare in which India didn't even have Bhumrah or Shami.

Pakistans record against India after 2009 is frankly embarrassing where we have lost 95% of our games against them. Kohli has bossed Pakistan every time.

There is no rivalry anymore. Pakistan is just lucky that the ICC milks the interest in fans in the matches bw the two countries but let's face it, the financing for these games comes 100% from India

Pakistan is lucky that India is subsidizing Pakistan Cricket via the ICC revenue distribution table because the day Modi Sarkar announces that not a single penny from the Indian economy and Indian private sector will go to Pakistan or Pakistan Cricket, Pakistan Cricket will collapse in no time.

I agree there is no rivalry left after deterioration of Pakistan cricket , but calling the collapse of Pakistan cricket without Indian support is being too arrogant and is simply nonsense , Pakistan cricket has survived the worst drought . It can survive at its own.

 

[W63L35]

As a Pakistani cricket fan I have to say that Pakistan is just surviving because of its rivalry with India. Otherwise we’re not really relevant anymore. Big teams like England and Australia don’t see us as a serious threat, and that’s a harsh reality we have to face.

The rivalry with India gives us that extra push but without it our weaknesses are clear. Our batters struggle to build solid innings and our bowlers, especially in the death overs can’t keep the pressure on. Outside of India games our performances are inconsistent and we rarely see those match-winning moments.

This rivalry has been our safety net covering up the real issues in our cricket. We don’t have a deep talent pool and we’re not producing enough players who can take charge in any situation. When we play other teams our lack of structure and development becomes obvious.

Share your thoughts

Since 1/1/2019 (last six plus years) a total of ONLY these 8 matches (3 ODIs and 5 T20Is) have been played between India and Pakistan.



Extremely small number of matches ... to justify a huge claim in the original post!!!

 

[BouncerGuy]

TBH, this is true. Top teams like kiwis, australia, england etc just don't take Pakistan serious anymore. We are just another normal team for them that wins sometimes out of blue moon.

India-Pakistan rivalry is the only thing Pakistan fans want to see more than anything else and that is keeping us alive in world cricket.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

As a Pakistani cricket fan I have to say that Pakistan is just surviving because of its rivalry with India. Otherwise Pakistan is no longer relevant—big teams like England and Australia don’t even consider Pakistan a threatening side anymore. @Hitman @Rajdeep @Bhaag Viru Bhaag @cricketjoshila @Bhaijaan @Nikhil_cric

Doubt it. India and Pakistan barely play any cricket.

PAK cricket survives because of an extremely passionate fanbase. As long as they are convinced that Pakistan is good enough to compete, PAK cricket will survive

 

[SpiritOf1903]

India baking its cake and eating it.

Mauka Mauka

 

[Energy]

Everything will change if Pakistan wins an ICC trophy. Pakistan has to do it the hard way to get noticed.

 

[Pakpak]

Everything will change if Pakistan wins an ICC trophy. Pakistan has to do it the hard way to get noticed.

Which one?

As noone takes this Carabao cup seriously except us. Starc is even sitting this out. Its a tin pot trophy. The only 2 trophies that matter are the ODI WC and now the Test WTC. Noone even cares about the T20 cups either, I doubt even any of us can name the T20 champions since 2009. I certainly can't but I can name every big game in every ODI from 87 forward.

 

[saimayubera]

Which one?

As noone takes this Carabao cup seriously except us. Starc is even sitting this out. Its a tin pot trophy. The only 2 trophies that matter are the ODI WC and now the Test WTC. Noone even cares about the T20 cups either, I doubt even any of us can name the T20 champions since 2009. I certainly can't but I can name every big game in every ODI from 87 forward.

That's cause Pakistan has not won them lol.

 

[Devadwal]

Which one?

As noone takes this Carabao cup seriously except us. Starc is even sitting this out. Its a tin pot trophy. The only 2 trophies that matter are the ODI WC and now the Test WTC. Noone even cares about the T20 cups either, I doubt even any of us can name the T20 champions since 2009. I certainly can't but I can name every big game in every ODI from 87 forward.

WTC is a joke. No one take that seriously untill ICC change the rules

 

[psyoptica]

I think cricket in a whole is dying and everyone is somewhat keeping themselves a float because of India. Without them, this sport would've been extinct by now.

This

 

[saimayubera]

This

Cricket isn't dying.

It's just taking it's final form.

NO big team based sport has the international game as the main version.

Cricket was one because it was a quaint small British game.

Over the next 30 years, it will become like other main sports. Then the time of international fixtures and bilaterals will seem quaint.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Doubt it. India and Pakistan barely play any cricket.

PAK cricket survives because of an extremely passionate fanbase. As long as they are convinced that Pakistan is good enough to compete, PAK cricket will survive

It’s frustrating. The fanbase deserves better but what can you even do when the team is barely getting proper Test series? Playing just two-match series and often against second-string sides when bigger teams aren’t in the mood or have other commitments.