India and Pakistan’s cricket rivalry has been shaped by nearly seven decades of meetings across Tests, ODIs and T20Is. The overall head-to-head record still leans slightly toward Pakistan, but the format split shows a far more detailed picture, with India holding a decisive edge in T20Is and Pakistan’s advantage built largely in earlier decades.
Overall head-to-head: Pakistan lead the aggregate count
The two teams have met 213 times in senior men’s cricket across the three formats. Pakistan lead the combined record with 88 wins, while India have 82 victories, and 43 matches have ended as draws, ties or no results. That margin is modest in aggregate, but it becomes more meaningful when the format-specific numbers are examined.
| Format | Matches | India Wins | Pakistan Wins | Draws/Ties/NR |
|---|
| Tests | 59 | 9 | 12 | 38 draws |
| ODIs | 136 | 58 | 73 | 5 no results |
| T20Is | 18 | 15 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | 213 | 82 | 88 | 43 |
Tests: Pakistan hold a narrow lead, but draws dominate
Test cricket has produced the slowest and most restrained chapter of the rivalry. In 59 Tests, Pakistan have won 12 and India nine, while 38 matches have finished drawn. That means around 64% of all India-Pakistan Tests have ended without a winner, underlining how often conditions, caution and the longer format have reduced separation between the teams.
The first Test was played in Delhi in October 1952, and the most recent came in Bengaluru in December 2007. The 55-year gap between those two matches shows how political and scheduling factors have limited Test opportunities, leaving the format with the smallest sample size and the highest proportion of non-results.
What the Test numbers suggest
Pakistan’s three-win advantage in Tests is statistically real, but it is not a dominant edge. The large draw count suggests the rivalry was often more about survival than decisive results, especially in an era when batting resilience and conservative tactics were more common.
ODIs: Pakistan’s biggest numerical lead
One-day internationals form the largest part of the rivalry by volume. Across 136 ODIs, Pakistan lead 73-58, with five matches ending without a result. Their 15-win advantage in this format remains the widest margin in the head-to-head record.
The first ODI was played in Quetta in October 1978, and the latest meeting took place in Dubai in February 2025. Pakistan’s ODI lead was built heavily in the 1980s and 1990s, particularly in Sharjah and other neutral-venue tournaments where they consistently outperformed India in high-pressure, short-format settings.
| ODI Metric | Pakistan | India |
|---|
| Matches | 73 wins | 58 wins |
| Win Margin | Pakistan lead by 15 wins |
| No Result | 5 matches |
Historic context in ODIs
Much of Pakistan’s ODI success came during the Sharjah era, when the sides frequently met in tournaments and finals. Those results still influence the overall record today, even though recent trends have been far less favorable for Pakistan in major ICC events and in the T20 format.
T20Is: India’s strongest format by a clear margin
The shortest format has reversed the rivalry. In 18 T20Is, India have won 15 and Pakistan only three, giving India an 83.3% win rate and one of the clearest format-level advantages in modern international cricket. No match has ended in abandonment.
The first T20I was played in Durban in September 2007, and the latest reported meeting came in Nisshin in October 2026. India’s T20 dominance also extends to the Men’s T20 World Cup, where they lead 8-1 across nine matches.
| T20I Metric | India | Pakistan |
|---|
| Matches | 15 wins | 3 wins |
| Win Rate | 83.3% | 16.7% |
| World Cup Record | 8 wins in 9 | 1 win in 9 |
India’s supremacy in T20Is matters because it reflects the modern balance between the two sides more accurately than the older ODI record. In a format where small margins often decide outcomes, India have repeatedly converted pressure into wins.
ICC tournament record: India dominate global events
The clearest evidence of the modern gap comes in ICC tournaments. India have never lost to Pakistan in the 50-over World Cup, winning all eight meetings from Sydney in 1992 through Ahmedabad in 2023. That is a perfect 8-0 record in the sport’s most-watched rivalry fixture at the 50-over global level.
In the T20 World Cup, India lead 8-1. Pakistan’s only win came in Dubai in 2021, and India have won every meeting since then, including a 61-run victory in Colombo in 2026. In the Champions Trophy, the contest is closer, with both teams winning three of the six meetings.
Why the ICC numbers matter
When the sample is limited to title events, India’s edge is stronger than the overall head-to-head suggests. Pakistan may still lead the aggregate count, but India have been more consistent when the pressure is highest and the stakes are global.
What the history says about the rivalry now
The raw numbers show two different eras. Pakistan’s aggregate lead was built when the teams met more often in neutral-venue tournaments and when Pakistan’s white-ball sides were especially strong. India’s recent control, especially in T20Is and ICC events, suggests the balance has shifted in the modern game.
For analysts, the key takeaway is simple: the overall record still favors Pakistan, but the recent-format trend belongs to India. In cricketing terms, the rivalry remains historically significant, yet the present-day statistical gap points to India as the stronger side across the formats that now shape the global calendar.