India and Pakistan set to resume fierce cricket rivalry

There are many legendary rivalries in sport.

Football’s local derbies between clubs in the same or adjacent cities, usually inflame partisan attitudes. Historically, in cricket, the Ashes series between Australia and England have been fiercely fought for over 140 years. Yet, it is a more recent rivalry which inflames passions the most, that between India and Pakistan. This is fueled not just by the sport but by the subcontinent’s geopolitics, which have created an intense rivalry and unique set of tensions.

Since the first Test match in 1952 between the two newly formed countries with a shared history and culture, there have been only another 58, played over 15 series. None were played between 1962 and 1977, during which time wars occurred between them in 1965 and 1971. Attempts at reconciliation did bear fruit, with exchange tours taking place in 2005 and 2006. However, the series in 2007 proved to be the last one, as the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai ushered in a new era of political tensions, with serious repercussions for cricket.

Until 2008, it is hardly a surprise that 60 percent of the Test matches were drawn, given the pressure on the teams. Pakistan won 11 of the 20 Tests which did produce a result. Currently, there appears to be little prospect of any resumption of bilateral cricket between the two countries. It is in the shorter formats, organized by either the International Cricket Council or the Asian Cricket Council, that the battles are fought out.

The first One-Day International between the two countries took place in 1978. After a gap of 17 years in play between the two countries, India toured Pakistan to contest three Tests and three ODIs, along with six other matches. Pakistan won two of the