Pakistan and India’s rivalry is one of the most intense in cricket, often characterized by thrilling matches and, at times, controversial moments that are still discussed years later.
Ahead of their latest ICC Champions Trophy 2025 encounter in Dubai, here is a look at some of the most memorable and contentious incidents from their past meetings.
Miandad and More (1992)
In the 1992 World Cup, Pakistan’s legendary cricketer, Javed Miandad, became part of a controversial moment when he mimicked Indian wicketkeeper Kiran More’s exaggerated appeals.
After being frustrated by More’s constant complaints, Miandad jumped in a kangaroo-like manner to mock the keeper.
While the moment was laughed off by fans and commentators, Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin was reportedly furious with Miandad’s actions.
Prasad’s and Aamir Sohail (1996)
Opener Amir Sohail was chasing India’s target in the 1996 World Cup quarterfinal when his aggressive batting led to Pakistan’s defeat in the match.
In Bangalore, while chasing a target of 289 runs, Sohail and his opening partner Saeed Anwar scored 84 runs in the first 10 overs. Sohail hit a boundary off Indian fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad and gestured at the bowler, indicating the direction of the shot. This proved costly for the Pakistani team.
Prasad responded with a counter-attack, dismissing Sohail on the very next ball, causing the stadium to erupt in cheers. The bowler then signalled to Sohail to leave the field in return.
Kamran and Gautam (2010)
Photo: Reuters
The incident occurred after Kamran Akmal claimed a caught behind of Gambhir only for the umpire to turn it down. Angered by the appeal, Gambhir walked straight up to Akmal during the drinks break and the duo had an ugly confrontation. On-field umpires and Indian skipper MS Dhoni had to intervene to calm things down.
When asked the main reason behind the argument, the 34 year-old stated that it was wrong of Akmal to appeal since the ball didn’t touch the bat at all. “I had tried to play [the shot] and missed it fully. He appealed in such a way that he thought that the ball had hit the bat,” he said. “Then I told him that there was no point in appealing because nothing like that happened. We just got into a heated argument and then it just got from bad to worse,” he added.
Ishant Sharma and Kamran Akmal’s verbal exchange (2012)
During a T20 international match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, tensions flared between Indian fast bowler Ishant Sharma and Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal in a heated verbal altercation.
The incident took place during the last series played between the two nations in 2012. India had set a target of 134 runs, and while chasing the target, Akmal missed a delivery from Sharma in the 18th over. This moment triggered a taunt from Sharma, which was quickly met with a sharp response from Akmal.
As the exchange became more heated, other players and the umpires intervened, stepping in to prevent the situation from escalating further. The confrontation was contained before it could turn physical, with officials ensuring the players did not engage in any violent altercations.
Gambhir and Afridi’s war of words (2007)
In a tense 2007 match, Indian batsman Gautam Gambhir and Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi exchanged harsh words after Gambhir hit a boundary.
The verbal spat escalated when both players refused to back down, resulting in a confrontation between the two.
The encounter was captured on live television, with both players trading insults before the umpire intervened to cool the tensions.
These incidents have added to the drama and excitement that surround the Pakistan-India cricket rivalry. As the teams prepare to meet once again in Dubai, fans can expect more high-intensity moments, both on and off the field, that will further fuel the already heated competition between the two nations.