There is nothing to match the high-intensity thrill when it comes to watching India-Pakistan cricket matches.
For Indian fans, it was more of a disappointment in the mid-1980s - a phase when Pakistan dominated India by a fair margin. Between 1978, when it played its first ODI vs Pakistan, and the end of the 1990s, India had an abysmal record - it lost 47 out of the 78 matches played against Pakistan. However, since 2000, India has won 28 and lost 26. And in World Cups, India has an upper hand with a 7-0 record against Pakistan, which indicates the ghosts of the past are well and truly behind.
Batting has always been India’s forte and here’s a look at the top-10 highest run-scorers against Pakistan in ODIs.
1. Sachin Tendulkar (1989-2012)
Former India captain Sachin Tendulkar leads the batting charts among Indians, with 2,526 runs from 69 matches at an average of 40.09. The Master Blaster scored five centuries and 16 half-centuries with a highest score of 141 which was scored during India’s tour of Pakistan in Rawalpindi in 2004. Sachin remained unbeaten on four occasions.
2. Rahul Dravid (1996-2009)
Following Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid stands second in the list with 1,899 runs. Dravid, who played 58 matches against Pakistan, scored two centuries and 14 half-centuries at an average of 36.51. A fighting 107 remains his career-best and it came in the sixth match of the 1997 Independence Cup in Chennai. It was the same match in which Saeed Anwar blasted a brilliant 194 - his highest ODI score and for long an ODI record for the highest individual score.
Interestingly, Dravid hit just one six against Pakistan. The former India skipper remained unbeaten on three occasions.
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3. Mohammad Azharuddin (1985-2000)
Third in the list is former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin, who scored 1,657 runs in 64 matches at an average of 31.86. He scored two centuries and nine fifties with 101 being the highest - he scored that ton in Toronto in 1998. On seven occasions, Azharuddin remained unbeaten.
4. Sourav Ganguly (1996-2007)
The current BCCI president made 1,652 runs in 53 matches at an average of 35.14. The former India skipper scored two centuries and nine half-centuries with 141 being his highest - he scored that in Adelaide in 2000. Ganguly remained unbeaten thrice.
5. Yuvraj Singh (2003-2017)
Occupying the fifth position is flamboyant all-rounder Yuvraj Singh. Yuvraj, featuring in 38 matches, scored 1,360 runs at an average of 42.50. An unbeaten 107 that he scored in Karachi in 2006 was his highest score; that was his only ODI century against Pakistan. Yuvraj hit 12 half-centuries as well. He has remained unbeaten on six occasions.
6. M. S. Dhoni (2005-2019)
Two-time World Cup-winning skipper, M. S. Dhoni scored 1,231 runs in 36 matches at an average of 53.52. He has scored two hundreds and nine half-centuries with a brilliant 148 - his highest - in Visakhapatnam in 2005. Dhoni remained unbeaten on eight occasions.
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7. Virender Sehwag (1999-2013)
The former India opener scored 1,071 runs in 31 matches he played, at an average of 34.54. Sehwag hit two centuries and six fifties, with 119 being his highest against Pakistan in Karachi in 2008.
8. Ajay Jadeja (1992-2000)
One of the clean strikers of the cricket ball, middle-order batsman Ajay Jadeja scored 892 runs in the 40 matches he played against Pakistan, at an average of 28.77.
With three half-centuries to his credit, Jadeja’s 93 remains his highest against Pakistan that he scored during the Asia Cup in Dhaka in 2000. He remained unbeaten on five occasions.
9. Navjot Singh Sidhu (1988-1998)
The former India opener made 862 runs in the 28 matches he played at an average of 34.48. With two centuries and four fifties, Sidhu made his highest score - 108 during the Champions Trophy in Sharjah in 1989.
10. Rohit Sharma (2007-2019)
The current India vice-captain sneaks into the top-10, leaving behind his present team-mates. Rohit has scored 720 runs in the 16 matches he played against Pakistan so far, at an average of 51.42. With two centuries and six half-centuries, Rohit’s best is the 140 that came during the 2019 World Cup contest in Manchester. The opener has remained not out on two occasions.
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