NEW DELHI: After India crushed Pakistan by six wickets of their Asia Cup 2025 conflict on Sunday, skipper Suryakumar Yadav made a hanging comment — urging everybody to cease calling the contests between the 2 nations a significant “rivalry. This was India’s second win over Pakistan within the ongoing Asia Cup, having additionally overwhelmed them comfortably within the group stage. For Suryakumar, the outcomes converse for themselves.When a senior Pakistani journalist requested him if the gulf in requirements between the 2 sides had grown too extensive, the Indian captain responded with a smile:“Sir, my request is that we must always now cease calling India vs Pakistan matches a rivalry.”
When the scribe clarified that he was referring to “requirements, not rivalry,” Suryakumar doubled down with a cheeky grin.“Sir, rivalry and customary are all the identical. Now what’s a rivalry? If two groups have performed 15 matches and it’s 8-7, that’s a rivalry. Right here it’s 13-1 (12-3) or one thing. There isn’t any contest,” he quipped earlier than strolling out of the press convention room with a smile.Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh echoed the sentiment on social media, backing Suryakumar’s views with a contact of humour. Posting a photograph of Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma having a heated on-field chat with Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf, Harbhajan captioned it:“The One Sided Rivalry (with laughing emojis). Chak de India.”He additional deleted the phrase ‘Biggest’ on the picture and stored “Rivalry”.
The numbers clearly justify their stance. India and Pakistan have met 15 occasions in T20 internationals, with the reigning world champions dominating 12 of these contests. For the reason that ICC T20 World Cup 2022, India have overwhelmed Pakistan seven occasions in a row throughout white-ball codecs.Through the years, the imbalance has solely widened. Pakistan’s decline following the retirement of a number of star gamers has left them struggling in opposition to a settled Indian unit. Their earlier assembly on this Asia Cup was one other instance, when India comfortably chased down 128 to seal a seven-wicket win within the group stage.The checklist of latest clashes highlights the one-sided nature of the encounters:Asia Cup 2025: India received by 6 wicketsAsia Cup 2025: India received by 7 wicketsChampions Trophy 2025: India received by 6 wicketsT20 World Cup 2024: India received by 6 runsICC Cricket World Cup 2023: India received by 7 wicketsAsia Cup 2023: India received by 228 runsT20 World Cup 2022: India received by 4 wickets