"This is Not a Rivalry Anymore": Suryakumar Yadav on India’s Dominance Over Pakistan
Suryakumar Yadav didn’t score many runs in the match, but he made headlines with his words in the post-match press meet. India beat Pakistan again on Sunday in Dubai marking their 7th win over their rivals in just 3 years in the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 stage. The India vs Pakistan game had its usual dose of drama. Suryakumar skipped the handshake at the toss, and the Indian team stuck to that stance even after winning. On the field, there were some heated words, and umpire Sohel Gazi had to step in once during the second innings to calm things down.
Both teams were feeling the pressure, but Surya said that India’s record over Pakistan made it feel like the rivalry wasn’t as big anymore. Against Oman, he was friendly, giving advice and even posing for a picture. But two days later, when it came to Pakistan, Yadav didn’t hold back and spoke his mind clearly.
"You guys should stop asking about the rivalry. According to me, if two teams are playing 15-20 matches and the scoreline is 7-7, or 8-7, then you can call it good cricket, you call it rivalry. If it’s 13-0, 10-1, I am not sure what the stat is. But, this is not a rivalry any more. I feel we played better cricket than them between 7-15, and we bowled better also," he said.
Pakistan fans quickly said that this rivalry can’t be judged just by recent games, as it has a long history. Looking at all matches, Pakistan still has a slight edge overall. Out of 210 games between the two, Pakistan has won 88 and India 78. In Tests, Pakistan leads with 12 wins from 59 matches, while India has 9 and 38 ended in draws. In ODIs, India is ahead with 58 wins to Pakistan’s 43. In T20Is, India has been stronger, winning 11 of 15 games, while Pakistan has only won 3.
India’s new approach in white-ball cricket is clearly paying off, leaving Pakistan struggling to keep up. In Sunday’s Asia Cup Super 4 match in Dubai, India showed their strength. Even with some sloppy fielding and average bowling, they chased down Pakistan’s 172 comfortably making a strong start to their Super 4 campaign and showing the gap that has opened in this old rivalry.
Gill and Abhishek’s Explosive Opening Stand
Abhishek Sharma was the star for India, smashing 74 off just 39 balls, while Shubman Gill played a smooth 47. Their 105-run opening partnership in only 49 balls put Pakistan on the back foot early, making the chase easy, finished in 18.5 overs. Gill missed out on a fifty after a short break for cramps, and Suryakumar Yadav got out cheaply, but Abhishek kept the momentum going with a mix of big hits and classy shots before he fell in the 13th over. Tilak Varma finished things off with an unbeaten 30 from 19 balls as India comfortably reached the target.
Pakistan had set a target of 171, Sahibzada Farhan’s steady 50 and a strong partnership of 72 runs with Saim Ayub. But after a fast start, Pakistan slowed down, scoring only 30 runs in six overs as Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav applied pressure. Shivam Dube surprised everyone by taking two key wickets, breaking Pakistan’s backbone. Some late hitting from Faheem Ashraf pushed the total past 170, but it was not enough. India’s bowling and fielding had some mistakes, yet their batting made it look easy, showing the clear gap between the two teams.
