Table of Contents
The India National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline stretches across more than seven decades and includes some of the most memorable matches in international cricket. The rivalry began in 1952, when Pakistan made its first Test tour of India. The first Test was played in Delhi from October 16 to 19, 1952, with India winning by an innings and 70 runs. Pakistan’s first Test series was eventually won by India 2-1, with two matches drawn.
The two teams later developed a long history across three formats. Their first ODI was played in 1978, while their first T20I came during the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in 2007. Over the years, the rivalry has included Test series, bilateral ODI contests, World Cup matches, Asia Cup encounters, Champions Trophy games and T20 World Cup fixtures.
Because bilateral cricket between the two countries has been interrupted for extended periods, particularly after 2007 in Test cricket, many modern meetings have taken place in ICC and multinational tournaments. The timeline below highlights the first official match, major Test, ODI and T20I encounters, and important milestones through the 2020s.
First Official Match
The first official international cricket match between India and Pakistan was a Test played at Delhi’s Feroz Shah Kotla, now known as Arun Jaitley Stadium, from October 16 to 19, 1952. It was historically significant because Pakistan was playing its first Test match after gaining Test status. India, led by Lala Amarnath, won the match by an innings and 70 runs.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date | October 16 to 19, 1952 |
| Format | Test |
| Venue | Delhi |
| India Captain | Lala Amarnath |
| Pakistan Captain | Abdul Kardar |
| Result | India won by an innings and 70 runs |
| Significance | First India vs Pakistan Test |
| Series Result | India won 2-1 |
| Pakistan’s First Test Series | Yes |
The five-Test series continued across India, with Pakistan recording its first Test victory in the second match. India eventually won the series 2-1, while two Tests were drawn. The series established an international cricket contest that would continue through changing eras, formats and tournament structures.
Timeline of Major Matches
The rivalry’s major-match timeline covers several distinct periods. After the opening Test series in 1952, political tensions and the 1965 and 1971 wars interrupted bilateral cricket. Regular cricket resumed with Pakistan hosting India in 1978-79. The ODI era then introduced shorter contests, followed by the T20I format in 2007.
| Year | Format | Match or Event | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Test | First-ever meeting | India won by an innings and 70 runs |
| 1952 | Test | First Test series | India won 2-1 |
| 1978 | Test | Bilateral cricket resumes | Pakistan won series 2-0 |
| 1978 | ODI | First ODI | India won by 4 runs |
| 1986 | ODI | Austral-Asia Cup final | Pakistan won by 1 wicket |
| 1992 | ODI | First World Cup meeting | India won by 43 runs |
| 1999 | Test | Asian Test Championship | India won by 12 runs |
| 2003 | ODI | World Cup meeting | India won by 6 wickets |
| 2007 | T20I | First T20I meeting | Match tied, India won bowl-out |
| 2007 | T20I | First T20 World Cup final | India won by 5 runs |
| 2011 | ODI | World Cup semifinal | India won by 29 runs |
| 2017 | ODI | Champions Trophy final | Pakistan won by 180 runs |
| 2019 | ODI | World Cup | India won by 89 runs |
| 2021 | T20I | T20 World Cup | Pakistan won by 10 wickets |
| 2022 | T20I | T20 World Cup | India won by 4 wickets |
| 2023 | ODI | World Cup | India won by 7 wickets |
| 2024 | T20I | T20 World Cup | India won by 6 runs |
| 2025 | ODI | Champions Trophy | India won by 6 wickets |
| 2026 | T20I | T20 World Cup | India won by 61 runs |
The timeline demonstrates how the rivalry has moved from long Test series toward predominantly tournament-based white-ball cricket.
Historic Test Matches
Test cricket formed the foundation of India and Pakistan’s international rivalry. Their first Test took place in 1952, and the two sides continued playing Test series regularly during periods when bilateral cricket was possible. Pakistan’s first Test win against India came during that inaugural five-Test series.
The rivalry resumed after an 18-year interruption when India toured Pakistan in 1978-79. Pakistan won that three-Test series 2-0, with one match drawn. Sunil Gavaskar was India’s leading run scorer in the series, while Zaheer Abbas topped Pakistan’s batting figures.
| Year | Test Event | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1952 | First Test in Delhi | India won by an innings and 70 runs |
| 1952 | First Pakistan Test victory | Pakistan won the second Test |
| 1952-53 | First five-Test series | India won 2-1 |
| 1978-79 | First series after long interruption | Pakistan won 2-0 |
| 1989-90 | Test series | Notable for debut of Sachin Tendulkar |
| 1999 | Asian Test Championship | India won by 12 runs |
| 2004 | Pakistan tour of India | India won Test series 2-1 |
| 2005-06 | India tour of Pakistan | Series drawn 1-1 |
| 2007 | Last Test series meeting | India won 1-0 |
| 2007 | Most recent Test meeting | Match drawn |
The last Test between India and Pakistan was played in Bengaluru in December 2007 and ended in a draw. Since then, the two teams have not played another Test against each other
Historic ODI Matches
The first ODI between India and Pakistan was played on October 1, 1978, at Quetta. India won the match by four runs. The same tour featured two more ODIs, with India winning the first three-match contest 2-1.
The ODI rivalry subsequently expanded through bilateral series and neutral-venue tournaments. One of the most famous early matches was the 1986 Austral-Asia Cup final at Sharjah, where Javed Miandad’s last-ball six helped Pakistan defeat India by one wicket.
The 1992 World Cup meeting was the first World Cup match between the two sides. India won by 43 runs, beginning a sequence of World Cup meetings that became an important part of the rivalry’s history.
| Year | Competition | Key Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | First ODI | India won by 4 runs |
| 1986 | Austral-Asia Cup final | Pakistan won by 1 wicket |
| 1992 | World Cup | India won by 43 runs |
| 1999 | World Cup | India won by 47 runs |
| 2003 | World Cup | India won by 6 wickets |
| 2011 | World Cup semifinal | India won by 29 runs |
| 2017 | Champions Trophy final | Pakistan won by 180 runs |
| 2019 | World Cup | India won by 89 runs |
| 2023 | World Cup | India won by 7 wickets |
| 2025 | Champions Trophy | India won by 6 wickets |
The 2017 Champions Trophy final remains one of the largest-margin victories in the rivalry’s major ODI tournament history. Pakistan scored 338/4 before bowling India out for 158, winning by 180 runs.
Historic T20I Matches
The T20I chapter of the rivalry began on September 14, 2007, during the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in Durban. India scored 141/9 and Pakistan also finished on 141, creating a tied match. At that time, tied T20 matches were decided using a bowl-out, and India won the bowl-out.
Only ten days later, the teams met again in the tournament final in Johannesburg. India made 157/5 and Pakistan were dismissed for 152, giving India a five-run victory and the inaugural World Twenty20 title.
| Year | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | World T20 group match | India won bowl-out after tie |
| 2007 | World T20 final | India won by 5 runs |
| 2012 | World T20 | India won by 8 wickets |
| 2014 | World T20 | India won by 7 wickets |
| 2016 | World T20 | India won by 6 wickets |
| 2021 | T20 World Cup | Pakistan won by 10 wickets |
| 2022 | T20 World Cup | India won by 4 wickets |
| 2022 | Asia Cup | Pakistan won by 5 wickets |
| 2022 | Asia Cup Super Four | Pakistan won by 5 wickets |
| 2024 | T20 World Cup | India won by 6 runs |
| 2026 | T20 World Cup | India won by 61 runs |
The 2021 T20 World Cup meeting was notable because Pakistan won by 10 wickets, their first World Cup victory over India in either the ODI or T20 World Cup formats. The 2022 Melbourne match then produced another memorable contest, with India winning by four wickets after a late chase led by Virat Kohli.
World Cup Timeline
World Cup matches have become a major part of the modern India-Pakistan timeline. Their first ODI World Cup meeting came in 1992, followed by further encounters in 1996, 1999, 2003, 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023. India won all eight of those ODI World Cup meetings.
| Year | Tournament | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | ODI World Cup | Sydney | India won by 43 runs |
| 1996 | ODI World Cup | Bengaluru | India won by 39 runs |
| 1999 | ODI World Cup | Manchester | India won by 47 runs |
| 2003 | ODI World Cup | Centurion | India won by 6 wickets |
| 2011 | ODI World Cup semifinal | Mohali | India won by 29 runs |
| 2015 | ODI World Cup | Adelaide | India won by 76 runs |
| 2019 | ODI World Cup | Manchester | India won by 89 runs |
| 2023 | ODI World Cup | Ahmedabad | India won by 7 wickets |
The T20 World Cup record is separate from the ODI World Cup record. Pakistan defeated India in the 2021 edition, while India won their other listed T20 World Cup meetings through 2026.
Asia Cup and Champions Trophy Timeline
Multinational tournaments have provided many India-Pakistan encounters because bilateral cricket has been limited. The Asia Cup has been particularly important, with matches played in both ODI and T20 formats.
The Champions Trophy has also produced contrasting results. Pakistan defeated India by 180 runs in the 2017 final, while India defeated Pakistan by six wickets in their 2025 Champions Trophy meeting.
| Year | Tournament | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Asia Cup | India won |
| 1997 | Asia Cup | Match abandoned |
| 2010 | Asia Cup | India won by 3 wickets |
| 2012 | Asia Cup | Pakistan won by 6 wickets |
| 2018 | Asia Cup | India won both meetings |
| 2022 | Asia Cup | Pakistan won group and Super Four meetings |
| 2023 | Asia Cup | Group match no result |
| 2023 | Asia Cup Super Four | India won by 228 runs |
| 2017 | Champions Trophy final | Pakistan won by 180 runs |
| 2025 | Champions Trophy | India won by 6 wickets |
These tournament encounters demonstrate how the rivalry has continued despite long gaps in bilateral fixtures.
Modern Era of the Rivalry
Since the late 2000s, India and Pakistan have increasingly met in ICC tournaments and other multinational competitions rather than regular bilateral series. This has made individual matches more concentrated around major events.
The 2019 World Cup match in Manchester was another major encounter, with India winning by 89 runs. In 2021, Pakistan recorded its first World Cup victory over India with a 10-wicket win in Dubai. India responded with a four-wicket victory in the 2022 T20 World Cup at Melbourne.
The rivalry continued through the 2023 ODI World Cup, 2024 T20 World Cup, 2025 Champions Trophy and 2026 T20 World Cup. The latest listed T20I meeting took place in Colombo on February 15, 2026, with India winning by 61 runs.
Key Timeline Summary
The history can be summarized through a sequence of major milestones, beginning with the first Test in 1952 and extending into the modern T20 era.
| Period | Important Development |
|---|---|
| 1952 | First India-Pakistan Test |
| 1952-53 | First bilateral Test series |
| 1965-77 | Extended interruption in bilateral cricket |
| 1978 | Cricket resumes; first ODI |
| 1980s | Regular ODI contests develop |
| 1992 | First World Cup meeting |
| 2003 | Memorable World Cup encounter |
| 2007 | Last Test meeting and first T20I |
| 2007 | First T20 World Cup final |
| 2011 | World Cup semifinal |
| 2017 | Champions Trophy final |
| 2019 | World Cup meeting |
| 2021 | Pakistan’s first World Cup win over India |
| 2022 | Memorable T20 World Cup contest |
| 2023 | ODI World Cup and Asia Cup encounters |
| 2024 | T20 World Cup meeting |
| 2025 | Champions Trophy meeting |
| 2026 | T20 World Cup meeting |
Conclusion
The India National Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline covers a unique journey from the first Test in 1952 to modern ICC tournament encounters. Test cricket established the rivalry, ODI cricket expanded it through World Cups and neutral-venue tournaments, and T20 cricket introduced a new generation of close and high-profile matches.
The timeline also shows how the nature of the rivalry has changed. Early encounters were largely bilateral Test series, while modern meetings are more commonly associated with World Cups, the Asia Cup and the Champions Trophy. Important matches such as the 1952 first Test, the 1986 Austral-Asia Cup final, the 2007 T20 World Cup final, the 2011 World Cup semifinal, the 2017 Champions Trophy final, the 2021 T20 World Cup match and the 2022 Melbourne contest remain important milestones in the history of the two teams.
FAQs
When was the first India vs Pakistan cricket match?
The first official Test match between India and Pakistan was played from October 16 to 19, 1952, in Delhi. India won by an innings and 70 runs.
When did India and Pakistan first play an ODI?
The first ODI between India and Pakistan took place on October 1, 1978, at Quetta. India won by four runs.
When was the first India vs Pakistan T20I?
The first T20I between the teams was played on September 14, 2007, during the inaugural World Twenty20 in Durban. The match was tied and India won the subsequent bowl-out.
When was the last India vs Pakistan Test match?
The most recent Test between India and Pakistan was played in December 2007 and ended in a draw. No Test has been played between the teams since then.
What was the first India vs Pakistan World Cup match?
Their first ODI World Cup meeting occurred in 1992 at Sydney. India won the match by 43 runs.
When did Pakistan first beat India in a World Cup?
Pakistan’s first World Cup victory over India came in the 2021 T20 World Cup in Dubai. Pakistan won by 10 wickets.
What happened in the 2007 T20 World Cup final?
India scored 157/5 and Pakistan were bowled out for 152. India won the inaugural T20 World Cup final by five runs.
What happened in the 2017 Champions Trophy final?
Pakistan scored 338/4 and dismissed India for 158, winning the final by 180 runs. Fakhar Zaman scored a century for Pakistan.
When did India and Pakistan last meet in the T20 World Cup?
Their latest listed T20 World Cup meeting was on February 15, 2026, in Colombo. India won by 61 runs.
