Data check: Sparks used to fly when India took on Pakistan in cricket but not any more

Favourites India have no grounds for complacency as they wait to see which Pakistan turns up at the Asia Cup in their Super 4 match on Sunday. India would be well aware of their unpredictable arch-rivals’ penchant for surprising not just opponents but themselves, too.

India are eyeing a place in the final after three wins in as many matches, while Pakistan will look to step up their game in the Super Four match, after a scare against Afghanistan on Friday.

India walloped Pakistan by eight wickets in the group game three days ago but if history is any indication, the men in blue will take their traditional rivals lightly at their own peril.

That being said, India versus Pakistan matches seem to have lost their sting. The two teams only get to meet in multi-team tournaments such as the Asia Cup, Champions Trophy and World Cup because bilateral series between the two countries have been suspended by their governments. The infrequent clashes should have ideally spiced up their meetings whenever they do happen, but largely one-sided victories in the recent past have taken the zing away.

Here is a table showing the margin of victories in the last 10 India vs Pakistan One-Day International matches:

Apart from their 2014 Asia Cup meeting in Dhaka, which Shahid Afridi won for Pakistan with two last-over sixes, and the third of three ODIs in their last bilateral series in 2013, in Delhi, which India’s bowlers helped them win by 10 runs, none of the matches have really made their fans bite their fingernails.

Gone is all the tension and the all the altercations that used to be standard for India-Pakistan matches. No more Javed Miandad vs Chetan Sharma, no more Aamir Sohail vs Venkatesh Prasad, no more Shahid Afridi vs Gautam Gambhir. Sparks used to fly when India took on Pakistan in cricket, but nowadays there is barely a fizz.

On paper and on form, India are the favourites for Sunday. After being made to work hard by minnows Hong Kong in their tournament opener, India got their act together against Pakistan in their group match and produced a clinical display to make short work of Sarfraz Ahmed’s team.

Even without their talismanic captain Virat Kohli, the Indian batting looked formidable and lived up to the billing by scoring freely on surfaces that are not really perfect for stroke-play.

Opening the innings, Rohit was at his fluent best against Pakistan and followed that up with another fine knock of 83 in the seven-wicket win over Bangladesh, more than making up for the failure against Hong Kong.

Rohit’s opener partner, Shikhar Dhawan found himself amongst the runs after a torrid time in England’s seaming conditions, scoring in all three matches, including a century against Hong Kong.

Pakistan will look up to their seasoned campaigner Shoaib Malik for inspiration. All-rounder Malik made 43 against India and saved his team the blushes with a crucial knock against a spirited Afghanistan on Friday night.

Opener Fakhar Zaman, who made a name for himself with a match-winning hundred against India in the final of Champions Trophy last year, flopped in their first game of the Asia Cup. Fakhar will look to make amends and so will be the likes of batsmen Babar Azam, Sarfraz and Iman-ul-Haq.

Another cause of concern for Pakistan is the form of their strike bowler Mohammad Aamir, who has not been among the wickets in recent times. While the left-arm pacer failed to deliver against India in the group game, he was not played against Afghanistan. The likes of Hasan Ali and Usman Khan will have to step up their game if their team is to do well on Sunday.

With inputs from PTI