🏏 Asia Cup 2025: Suryakumar Yadav Declares “India-Pakistan No Longer a Rivalry”
The India vs Pakistan cricket rivalry has been called the fiercest in world cricket for decades. But after India’s seventh consecutive win over Pakistan in men’s internationals, India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav made a bold statement:
👉 “This is not a rivalry anymore.”
The remark came after India’s emphatic victory in the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash in Dubai, where India outclassed Pakistan despite a strong start by the men in green.
Suryakumar’s words have ignited debate across the cricketing world:
- Is the India vs Pakistan rivalry really over?
- Do lopsided results diminish one of cricket’s greatest matchups?
- What does this streak mean for the future of Asian cricket?
Cricketory dives deep into the numbers, the match details, and the wider context behind this explosive claim.
📊 India’s Dominance Over Pakistan – The Stats Don’t Lie
When Suryakumar said “13-0, 10-1…I don’t know the stats, but this is not a rivalry”, he was pointing to the overwhelming head-to-head record in recent years.
📌 Recent India vs Pakistan Results in T20Is (2022–2025):
- 2022 Asia Cup (Dubai): Pakistan won (last victory for Pakistan)
- 2022 T20 World Cup (Melbourne): India won (Kohli’s iconic chase)
- 2023 Asia Cup: India won both meetings
- 2024 T20 World Cup (New York): India won
- 2024 Asia Cup: India won
- 2025 Asia Cup (Group stage): India won
- 2025 Asia Cup (Super Four): India won
📈 India now has 7 straight wins since 2022, and Pakistan hasn’t beaten India in over three years.
For Suryakumar, these numbers show that the balance is gone, which is why he questions whether it’s fair to call it a “rivalry.”
⚡ The Super Four Clash: How the Game Unfolded
At first glance, Pakistan seemed ready to challenge India this time.
- Pakistan were 91/1 at 10 overs – their best T20I 10-over score against India.
- Sahibzada Farhan (half-century) and Saim Ayub looked dangerous.
- Jasprit Bumrah, usually India’s reliable match-winner, was expensive (0/45).
But then came the turning point:
🔥 Shivam Dube’s Golden Spell
- Bowled 4 overs for just 33 runs
- Took 2 key wickets: Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan
- Broke a 72-run partnership and stalled Pakistan’s momentum
From looking set for a 180+ score, Pakistan stumbled and ended with 171/5. India’s chase was clinical, securing another dominant win.
🗣 Suryakumar Yadav’s Post-Match Bombshell
After the match, Suryakumar was asked: “Do you think Pakistan have raised their standards compared to the last game?”
His reply shocked fans:
“Standards and rivalry are the same. According to me, if two teams play 15-20 matches and it’s 7-7 or 8-7, then that is called a rivalry. But 13-0, 10-1…I don’t know the stats. But this is not a rivalry anymore. I feel we just played better cricket than them.”
This statement immediately went viral, drawing reactions from:
- 🇮🇳 Indian fans, celebrating their team’s dominance
- 🇵🇰 Pakistani fans, calling the remark disrespectful
- 🌍 Cricket pundits, debating whether rivalries depend on numbers or history
🤔 Is India vs Pakistan Still a Rivalry? Cricketory Analysis
At Cricketory, we believe the answer depends on how you define rivalry:
✅ Historical Rivalry – Still Alive
For decades, Pakistan vs India has been about politics, culture, and emotion as much as cricket. Stadiums erupt, social media explodes, and fans treat it as a mini-World Cup. That aspect is not dead.
❌ Competitive Rivalry – Fading Fast
If rivalry means close results, then Suryakumar has a point. Since 2017, India has dominated Pakistan across formats, especially in ICC and ACC tournaments. The matches rarely go down to the wire anymore.
⚖️ Balanced Rivalry – Needs Revival
The rivalry can be revived if Pakistan strengthens its squad, develops consistent match-winners, and handles pressure against India. Until then, the one-sided streak will continue.
🔥 Key Factors Behind India’s Winning Streak
🏏 1. Superior Batting Depth
India’s batting lineup boasts players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, and Hardik Pandya – giving them unmatched consistency.
🎯 2. Pakistan’s Middle-Order Struggles
While Pakistan produces talented openers, their middle order often collapses, failing to build on strong starts.
💪 3. All-Round Options
India has genuine all-rounders (Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube), while Pakistan struggles with balance.
🧠 4. Handling Pressure
India thrives in high-pressure moments, while Pakistan has often crumbled under crowd expectations and nerves.
📺 Fan & Expert Reactions
Social media lit up after Suryakumar’s comment:
- Indian Fan: “SKY just said what we’ve been seeing. This is no rivalry, it’s dominance.”
- Pakistani Fan: “Disrespectful. Even one-sided rivalries are rivalries. Wait till our day comes.”
- Cricket Analyst: “Suryakumar’s words will sting Pakistan, but they reflect the current gap between the two teams.”
🌍 What This Means for Asian Cricket
The one-sided nature of this rivalry raises bigger questions:
- Will fans lose interest if Pakistan doesn’t challenge India?
- Will ICC and ACC tournaments lose TV ratings if matches are predictable?
- Should organizers work to balance cricket growth in both nations?
Cricketory believes Pakistan must invest in domestic cricket, strengthen its middle order, and reduce overreliance on Shaheen Afridi and Babar Azam if they want to revive the rivalry.
🏆 What’s Next for India and Pakistan in Asia Cup 2025?
- India: Will face Bangladesh in their next Super Four match. With form on their side, they are favorites to reach the final.
- Pakistan: Must regroup quickly. The pressure is on to prove that they still belong in cricket’s fiercest rivalry.
❓ FAQs – India vs Pakistan Rivalry Debate
Q1: What did Suryakumar Yadav say about the India vs Pakistan rivalry?
👉 He said it is “not a rivalry anymore” because the results are one-sided.Q2: How many times has India beaten Pakistan in a row?
👉 India has now won 7 consecutive matches against Pakistan since 2022.Q3: Why is Pakistan struggling against India?
👉 Weak middle-order batting, lack of all-round balance, and pressure handling issues.Q4: Is the India vs Pakistan rivalry dead?
👉 No, historically it remains alive, but competitively it is fading.Q5: What can revive the rivalry?
👉 Pakistan needs stronger batting depth, tactical improvements, and consistent performances in big games.📝 Final Thoughts – Cricketory’s Take on the “End of a Rivalry”
The India vs Pakistan saga has always been more than cricket—it’s about pride, passion, and the weight of history. But as Suryakumar Yadav pointed out, rivalries thrive on balance. When one side consistently dominates, the competitive edge fades, no matter how emotional the backdrop may be.
At Cricketory, we believe Suryakumar’s words, while bold, highlight a painful reality for Pakistan cricket:
- India has mastered both the mental game and cricketing execution, consistently rising to the big occasion.
- Pakistan, despite flashes of brilliance, has failed to sustain pressure and build a team capable of standing toe-to-toe with India over multiple encounters.
This doesn’t mean the rivalry is dead—it means it’s lopsided right now. History shows rivalries swing back and forth. Pakistan needs to rebuild smartly, invest in domestic strength, and develop fearless match-winners who can match India’s big-game mentality.
For India, the challenge is to keep evolving, because dominance can sometimes breed complacency.
👉 Until Pakistan finds its spark again, the world’s most emotional rivalry risks becoming a one-sided chapter. But in cricket, tides change quickly—and the next iconic Indo-Pak moment might be closer than we think.