Pakistan running out of time to retain its arch-rival status with India

By K.R. Nayar

There was a time when an India-Pakistan cricket match was held - be it between the men or women  - and one would say ‘anything can happen’. But now, nothing happens - India emerges victorious. On Saturday, India beat Pakistan in the Women’s Asia Cup by seven wickets in Dubai. The match was totally one-sided with Pakistan getting bowled out for 55, their lowest-ever total in women’s T20Is. India strolled to the target in just 8.4 overs.

Is this what we want to witness when two teams considered arch-rivals meet? When India and Pakistan met, it was billed as one of cricket’s great rivalries. Of late, matches between these two countries resemble a practice match. When Pakistan was 27 without loss, one did not expect they would manage to cross just the 50-run mark. It was not a collapse but a landslide.

India’s spinners looked like road rollers. They bulldozed the Pakistan batting line-up. The demolishers were Shree Charani and Prema Rawat, with three wickets apiece, while Deepti Sharma added two. Pakistan’s batting order looked lost in a spin maze. India barely needed ten overs to win. They won in a mere 8.4 overs. This showed the might of the Indian women’s team over Pakistan.

The Pakistan men’s team had last defeated India on September 4, 2022 during the Asia Cup Super 4 stage in Dubai, winning by five wickets. The women’s team last won against India on October 7, 2022 during the Women’s Asia Cup in Sylhet, Bangladesh, where they won by 13 runs. In ODIs, the reality is that Pakistan women have never beaten India, with India having a clean 12-0 record. If Pakistan do not beat India in the coming years, it will be nearly half a decade since India lost to their arch-rivals. This should be a worrying record for Pakistan cricket.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) possesses a strong financial infrastructure and provides elite training and world-class coaching staff. It also invests heavily in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) and Indian Premier League (IPL). On the other hand, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has historically faced administrative instability and financial limitations. Pakistani squads have suffered from constant changes in captaincy, and their selection committees have, on many occasions, prevented the teams from building long-term unity, resulting in inconsistent performances.

One truth about cricket is that money can buy infrastructure, but it cannot buy a wicket or make batters play their strokes freely. Any cricket board has to work towards creating a strong cricket system. Talent must be identified early, developed through domestic cricket and then exposed to high-pressure competitions.

Pakistan administrators have often changed the blueprint for progress. There is a huge difference in the mindset before an India-Pakistan match. India walks into an India-Pakistan match expecting to win. Pakistan walks in hoping to end its losing streak. India exploits Pakistan’s weaknesses, while Pakistan, as soon as it senses danger, starts protecting itself.

What everyone observed in Saturday’s match was India bowling with discipline and showing that its spin attack is strong. The Indian team is sharper on the field and carries with it the composure and confidence to win a contest. Pakistan exposed the fragility of its batting line-up, with the scoreboard reading like a phone number with many zeroes.

India uses pressure as a weapon, while Pakistan faces pressure as a problem and succumbs to it. Cricket rivalries survive on uncertainty, but when an India victory becomes a certainty, the contest begins to look like just another ordinary match. The Dubai defeat is another reminder for Pakistan that time is running out to keep its arch-rival status with India.