When was the last time India, Pakistan played a tri-series?
India versus Pakistan may have been losing its charm, but it is still the greatest rivalry in cricket. Even though the two countries only meet in ICC or ACC events, fans from across borders set reminders on their calendars to witness INDO-PAK matches.
Meanwhile, the IND vs PAK rivalry could return, with a report stating that the ICC is looking at the possibility of scheduling a tri-series featuring India and Pakistan. If the tri-series gets the green signal, it would be played in Australia, England, or the UAE.
In this article, we will analyse when was the last time India and Pakistan featured together in a tri-series.
When was the last time India, Pakistan featured in a tri-series?
Although the last bilateral series between India and Pakistan was played in 2013, a tri-series featuring the two powerhouses was well over nearly two decades ago.
The last time India and Pakistan featured in a tri-series was in 2008 in Bangladesh. The Asian giants played just twice in that tri-series, with the Men in Green toppling MS Dhoni's men in the final.
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The Men in Blue won the group game quite convincingly. Thanks to the Virender Sehwag (89)-Gautam Gambhir (62) show led the team total to 330/8, before Praveen Kumar and Piyush Chawla bagged four wickets apiece. As a result, the Men in Green were folded for 190 runs in just 35.4 overs.
Later in the final, the Shoaib Malik-led side posted 315/3 on the board, with swashbuckling centuries from Salman Butt and Younis Khan. India tried to hunt down the target, with Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni scoring fifties, but they were topped by a margin of 25 runs.
India's record vs Pakistan in a tri-series
In the current era, India has established a clear upper hand over Pakistan, particularly in ICC and ACC encounters. However, there was a time when the Men in Green never lost to the Men in Blue, as suggested by the head-to-head record of 73:58 in ODIs between the two.
Interestingly, Pakistan’s dominance over India is even more pronounced in tri-series encounters. The two teams have faced each other 27 times in tri-nation tournaments, with Pakistan winning 20 times and the Men in Blue just 7.
Tri-series gaining prominence in current FTP
As the ODI cricket is facing a serious dip in recent years, the ICC is looking to make massive amends. Among their first plans is to revive the concept of the tri-series.
India last featured in an ODI tri-series in 2015, while Pakistan’s previous appearance was in 2005.
However, the Men in Green are already scheduled to play Sri Lanka and England in a tri-series at home, later in October-November. Reportedly, the big three, India, England and Australia, have decided to play a tri-series sometime in the coming 18 months.
Apart from that, many more tri-nation series are being added to the current FTP. South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, the co-hosts of the 2027 World Cup, played a tri-series in Windhoek.
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