ICC World Cup 2019: Know the interesting facts about India vs Pakistan clashes
Two long-time rivals will be facing each other once again in the battle for supremacy when India take on Pakistan in the ICC World Cup 2019 on Sunday. While India are still unbeaten in the tournament with 5 points from 3 encounters, Pakistan are struggling in the bottom half of the table with 3 points from 4 matches. When it comes to the overall head-to-head record, Pakistan are leading 73-54 against India with four matches yielding no results. As a result, Pakistan have a win percentage of 55.72% over India in ODIs. However, when it comes to the World Cup, India have never lost a match against Pakistan. The teams have faced each other six times and all the encounters were won by India. When it comes to ICC tournaments, Pakistan have a win percentage of 27.27% against India which is the 2nd worst for them against an opponent in ICC events. The India-Pakistan rivalry in ODIs began with India's tour to Pakistan in 1978. Under, Bishan Singh Bedi, India had won the first-ever ODI between the two sides held in Quetta. Nonetheless, Pakistan had won the 1st two bilateral series between the two countries before Kapil Dev's side clinched 2-0 win at home in the 1983-84 season. Pakistan had dominated bilateral series against India, winning 6 out of their first 7 meetings. While Pakistan had beaten India in bilateral series in India as early as 1986-87, India were able to clinch their first-ever bilateral series win on Pakistan soil only in 2003-04. The win came under Sourav Ganguly's captaincy when India went on to beat their arch-rivals 3-2 in a 5-match series. The last bilateral series held between the two countries in 2012-13 was won by Pakistan in India. Pakistan's dominance of bilateral ODI series is evident from the numbers. In 131 ODI meetings, Pakistan have won 73 and India only 54. However, things have changed in the recent past. Since the 2015 World Cup, India have beaten Pakistan thrice in 4 meetings. In fact, India have managed to start as outright favorites on most of these occasions. India handed Pakistan a 124-run thrashing in their Champions Trophy 2017 opener in Birmingham. India flexed its batting muscles with Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli hitting fifties. Yuvraj Singh's late cameo helped India post 319 which in the end proved too much for Pakistan. However, Pakistan led by Sarfaraz Ahmed, clinched one of their biggest wins over their arch-rivals by clinching revenge when the two teams met in the final of the Champions Trophy. Fakhar Zaman was handed a reprieve by Jasprit Bumrah early in the big final and the left-handed opener punished India with 114 and fired Pakistan to 338 in 50 overs. In reply, India had no answers to Mohammad Amir's masterclass as the left-arm pacer demolished the Indian top-order, removing Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan cheaply. India were eventually bowled out for 158. Nonetheless, India are heading into the big clash on Sunday on the back of two comprehensive wins over Pakistan in Asia Cup 2018. Even in the absence of their best batsman, Kohli who was rested for the tournament, India were able to comfortably outclass Pakistan in the group stage and then in the Super 4 of the continental tournament.
