India–Pakistan Cricket Rivalry:
During the Asia Cup 2025 Super-4 match, the unnecessary misconduct by Pakistani players was not an isolated incident. Haris Rauf and Shaheen Shah Afridi unnecessarily clashed with Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma.
Both players responded with their batting skills during the match, and later through their social media posts. Abhishek wrote, 'You talk, we'll win.' Meanwhile, Shubman tweeted, 'The game speaks, not your words...
Also Read: Shubman Gill's Insta Post is Sure to Rattle Pakistani Players... Answering Every Question with Just Four Words
Ultimately, Indian players demonstrated dominance in the Super-4 match, showing that the neighboring country's players often instigate unnecessary confrontations with Indian players. This incident was not new.
In past encounters between India and Pakistan, the neighbors have often faced setbacks due to verbal duels. Let's take a look at some such intense matches between the two countries where they not only lost the verbal battle but also the match.
Also Read: 'This is the New India, Tolerates No Provocation...', Furious Irfan Pathan Schools Harris Rauf-Sahibzada Farhan on Pakistani Team's Misconduct
Source: aajtak
Kiran More vs Javed Miandad (1992 World Cup, Sydney)
In the 1992 World Cup match, Indian wicketkeeper Kiran More sledged Javed Miandad by mocking him, hiding his face with gloves. This annoyed Miandad, who started jumping during his innings, mocking More back.
Despite the banter, the Indian team secured a 43-run victory. This match remains famous for Miandad's 'jumping act,' becoming an early example of sledging in India-Pakistan matches. In this match, Sachin Tendulkar contributed 54 runs and took Amir Sohail's wicket, conceding 37 runs in 10 overs.
Venkatesh Prasad vs Aamer Sohail (1996 World Cup Quarter-Final, Bengaluru)
The quarter-final of the 1996 World Cup was held at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Pakistani opener Aamer Sohail hit a boundary off Venkatesh Prasad's ball and gestured with his bat mockingly. The very next ball, Prasad bowled him out and directed him back to the pavilion.
This moment became iconic in the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry. Team India triumphed, led by Navjot Sidhu's 93 and Ajay Jadeja's brisk 45, by a margin of 39 runs. Venkatesh Prasad and Anil Kumble each took three wickets in the match.
Shoaib Akhtar vs Sachin Tendulkar (2003 World Cup, Centurion)
The 2003 ODI World Cup clash in Centurion, South Africa, saw Shoaib Akhtar attempting to sled Sachin Tendulkar repeatedly. Though Akhtar tried his best, Tendulkar's explosive 98-run innings pushed Pakistan onto the defensive. India claimed victory by six wickets, outplaying Pakistan both verbally and in the match.
Gautam Gambhir vs Shahid Afridi (2007 Kanpur ODI)
During the India-Pak ODI series on November 11, 2007, a fierce altercation occurred in Kanpur. Gautam Gambhir and Shahid Afridi clashed verbally. As Gambhir batted, Afridi confronted him, leading to the intervention of the on-field umpires. Despite the confrontation, India won the match by 46 runs. Although Gambhir and Afridi competed against each other in IPL and other tournaments, respecting each other, this episode remains memorable.
Harbhajan Singh and Shoaib Akhtar (2010 Asia Cup, Dambulla)
In the 2010 Asia Cup match on June 19 in Dambulla, Team India claimed a thrilling 3-wicket win with one ball to spare. Towards the match's end, Harbhajan Singh and Shoaib Akhtar engaged in intense banter.
Harbhajan responded by securing India’s victory with a six off Mohammad Amir. The confrontation escalated when Akhtar confronted Harbhajan in his room, but fortunately, it didn’t lead to physical violence. Harbhajan scored 15 not out with two sixes in this match.
Gautam Gambhir vs Kamran Akmal (2010 Asia Cup, Dambulla)
In the same match, before Harbhajan and Shoaib Akhtar’s clash, Gautam Gambhir and Kamran Akmal had a heated argument. The scene required intervention from other players and umpires. Afridi's delivery had narrowly missed Gambhir's bat before Akmal's appeal intensified Gambhir's anger. Recently, Akmal admitted his error in this matter.
