India’s recent six-wicket victory over Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy on February 23, 2025, further highlights the widening gulf between these two cricketing nations. This match, played in Dubai, saw India comfortably chase down a target of 242, with Virat Kohli leading the charge with a masterful unbeaten century. His innings, marked by patience, confidence, and a sense of control, reinforced his status as one of the finest batters in modern cricket. India’s dominance in this match, however, was not an isolated occurrence—it is part of a long-standing pattern that has emerged over the last several years.
If one looks at India’s performances against Pakistan in ICC tournaments, the difference in quality is stark. Pakistan has only a couple of significant victories to show over the last decade, namely their win in the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy and the group-stage victory in the 2021 T20 World Cup. Beyond that, every other meeting between these two teams in ICC events has resulted in India emerging victorious. This consistent superiority illustrates the growing disparity in skill, temperament, and overall team strength between the two sides.
A closer look at the match situation on Sunday reveals the contrasting approaches of the two teams. Pakistan, after a steady start, reached 100 for the loss of two wickets. At this stage, their batting seemed overly cautious, with players like Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel prioritizing survival over aggression. Instead of pushing for a commanding total, they appeared to be content with getting past the 260-run mark. This approach suggested an underlying fear of failure—an attempt to avoid embarrassment rather than seize control of the game.
In contrast, India batted with intent and freedom. Even when set batters got out, there was no sense of panic. Shreyas Iyer, for example, continued to play his natural game despite the team needing less than three runs per over. Hardik Pandya, in his usual fearless manner, stepped down the track and smashed Shaheen Afridi for boundaries, reinforcing India’s aggressive mindset. This reflected a crucial difference in mentality—one team was playing to dominate, while the other was playing to avoid criticism.
This shift in mindset has not come overnight. It has been a gradual evolution, shaped by various factors, the most important of which is the rise of the Indian Premier League (IPL). When the IPL began in 2008, its impact was not immediately visible. However, over the years, it has created a highly competitive environment where young Indian players are exposed to top-level international talent. By 2013–14, the results of this exposure became evident, and since then, the gap between India and Pakistan has only widened.
India’s bench strength is arguably the strongest it has ever been. Talented players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Abhishek Sharma, and Tilak Varma are struggling to break into the ODI squad despite their impressive performances in domestic and franchise cricket. If a team were made up solely of these young players, it would likely still be competitive at the highest level. This depth in talent is what separates India from Pakistan.
On the other hand, Pakistan’s struggles stem from their lack of depth and limited exposure to high-intensity cricket outside of bilateral series. The core of their squad has remained largely unchanged over the years, with the same group of players—Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Fakhar Zaman, and Imam-ul-Haq—forming the backbone of the team. While these are undoubtedly skilled players, the lack of emerging talent and genuine competition within the squad has made Pakistan reliant on a fixed set of individuals. Regardless of their recent performances, these players continue to feature in every major tournament simply because there are no better alternatives.
Virat Kohli’s performance in the match further exemplifies India’s dominance in this rivalry. His century was effortless, a knock played at his own pace, and it never looked like he was under any real pressure. His ability to score runs against Pakistan is well known, and a running joke among fans suggests that whenever he is out of form, a match against Pakistan is all he needs to regain his rhythm. This time, however, it wasn’t just about Kohli. The Indian batting unit looked so well-balanced that even a legendary player like him could take his time and bat in his comfort zone.
Kohli’s success in the match was also notable because he played leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed with confidence. Leg-spinners have troubled him in the past, but in this game, he handled Abrar with ease, which is a positive sign going forward. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill continued to impress with his technically sound batting, and Shreyas Iyer’s aggressive strokeplay added further depth to India’s batting.
While much attention is often given to India’s batters, their bowlers played a crucial role in this win as well. There had been concerns about India’s ability to take wickets in the middle overs, but Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya dispelled those doubts. Kuldeep’s three-wicket haul was instrumental in breaking Pakistan’s momentum, while Hardik’s dismissals of Babar Azam and Saud Shakeel at critical junctures ensured that Pakistan never posted a challenging total. Restricting Pakistan to 241 was a commendable effort, and it once again proved that India’s bowling attack is as formidable as its batting lineup.
The overall takeaway from this match is that India, at the moment, is the most well-rounded team in the tournament. They have already secured a place in the semi-finals, and if their current form continues, it would not be surprising to see them lift the trophy. Meanwhile, Pakistan finds itself at a crossroads. If they are to compete with teams like India on the big stage, they need to rethink their approach, invest in young talent, and find ways to modernize their game.
For now, however, the reality remains that India vs. Pakistan is no longer a contest—it is a one-sided affair. The once-thrilling rivalry that captivated fans for decades has lost its edge. India has pulled ahead, and unless Pakistan makes some drastic changes, the gap between these two teams will continue to grow.
