Although cricket is relatively unknown in North America, it is one of the most popular sports in South Asia. Netflix will soon release a documentary that explores the legendary grudge between two cricketing powerhouses: India and Pakistan. Titled The Greatest Rivalry: India vs. Pakistan, the teaser trailer is now available on YouTube.
Cricket is said to have originated in England during the 16th century. However, the sport was popularized in the Indian subcontinent under British imperialism. After independence, the subcontinent was divided into two: India and Pakistan. Over the years, there has been much hostility between them. The constant religious and geopolitical tensions between the two nations culminated in three wars towards the latter half of the twentieth century.
Yet, India and Pakistan share an equal passion for the Gentleman’s game. The Pakistan cricket team first visited India in October 1952, five years after independence. Since then, the two teams have achieved tremendous success and built a strong rivalry. According to CNN, the 2023 Cricket World Cup match between India and Pakistan had 35 million viewers on Disney+ Hotstar. Fareed Shah, the Shiny Side Cricket Podcast host, described this match as “…five times the Super Bowl. There are few rivalries that compare.”
Sheharyar Jaffri, a Karachi-based journalist and cricket enthusiast, stated, “It is the most hyped-up game in cricket history. We live every ball, every run and every moment.”
How many times have India and Pakistan faced each other in the ICC Cricket World Cup?
According to Business Standard, India faced Pakistan eight times in ICC Cricket World Cup history. Surprisingly, India emerged victorious in every match.
They met for the first time in the 1992 World Cup, which India won by 43 runs. Here are the matches they have played in the tournament so far;
- 1992 World Cup: India won by 43 runs
- 1996 World Cup: India won by 39 runs
- 1999 World Cup: India won by 47 runs
- 2003 World Cup: India won by six wickets
- 2011 World Cup: India won by 29 runs
- 2015 World Cup: India won by 76 runs
- 2019 World Cup: India won by 89 runs (DLS method)
- 2023 World Cup: India won by 7 wickets
During their latest bout in the 2023 World Cup, Pakistan was in cruise control during the start of the match. However, India soon overcame all odds and secured their victory with ease. India Today journalist Rajarshi Gupta had written that since the two teams rarely play against each other now, there is extra pressure on them to dominate in recognized tournaments.
His statement read, “India and Pakistan do not play each other in bilateral series. There is perhaps extra pressure on these teams when they face off in ICC events or even the Asia Cup. But India turn up with clinical precision every time and boss Pakistan over and over and over again. When a result becomes so repetitive, there is reason behind it. It is no fluke.”
This upcoming sports documentary on Netflix will be an exciting study on how India and Pakistan view cricket as the olive branch between the two. With a history of violence on both sides of the border, their rivalry is a testament to the potential of sports in promoting peace and tolerance.
