A few of the most fun encounters in sport have been between nations or athletes with storied rivalries that add an additional layer of anticipation and drama.
In cricket, these rivalries vary from bitter relationships stemming from decades-long conflicts to colonial historical past and a few newly fashioned bitterness.
The ICC T20 World Cup will spotlight a few of these main rivalries, similar to within the group stage of the event and, maybe, the Tremendous Eights.
This is a take a look at a few of the most fun matchups within the recreation’s historical past:
India vs Pakistan
The conflict that has been the largest, best-selling and most anticipated match of all of the multilateral cricket tournaments.
The rivalry originated in 1947, when India was divided into two international locations following British colonial rule. Since then, Pakistan and India have fought three wars and diplomatic relations between the 2 international locations stay principally bitter.
On the cricket area, the head-to-head document favors Pakistan in Take a look at matches (12-9) and One-Day Internationals (73-56), whereas India has the benefit in T20 matches (8-3).
Relating to World Cup historical past, the scales are closely tipped in India’s favour. Pakistan have by no means overwhelmed India within the ICC ODI World Cup of their eight matches and have received solely as soon as of their seven T20 World Cup matches.
Their final conflict, within the Cricket World Cup on October 14, once more went in India’s favor as they recorded a seven-wicket victory on the largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.
The South Asian rivals will meet at New York’s newly constructed Nassau County Stadium on Saturday, June 9 in entrance of a sold-out crowd of no less than 34,000.
Australia vs England
The oldest rivalry within the recreation, courting again to the nineteenth century, originated when a British newspaper wrote a condescending and racist article in regards to the Australian cricket staff.
It was set in stone when, in 1882, the British tabloid The Sporting Occasions printed a mock obituary of English cricket following its Take a look at staff’s defeat to its transcontinental rivals, saying “the physique [of English cricket] They are going to be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.”
The bitterness originated in Take a look at cricket and involves the fore throughout the Ashes Take a look at collection, however has unfold to all sporting fixtures between the 2 international locations.
Within the historical past of the Cricket World Cup, each groups have confronted one another 9 occasions. Australia has received six of these matches and England three.
England’s first T20 World Cup title additionally got here on the expense of Australia, once they received the 2010 last within the West Indies. The second was received in Australia, once they beat Pakistan to raise the title.
The T20 Cup 2024 version of Australia vs England is scheduled for June 8 in Barbados.
Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka
It started with a dance, particularly the “nagin dance”, in 2018.
Bangladesh bowler Nazmul Islam had been dancing the nagin (cobra in Hindi) dance to have a good time his wickets for a while, so when his staff beat Sri Lanka within the T20 collection in January 2018, he returned to do it in its 4 fields.
Sri Lanka’s Danushka Gunathilaka didn’t just like the meandering celebration and did his personal model to mock Islam when he dismissed two of the Bangladesh batsmen.
A number of months later, the celebration gained momentum throughout the Nidahas triangular trophy, which additionally included India. When Bangladesh achieved their second victory towards hosts Sri Lanka, their whole staff broke out right into a rousing “nagin dance” celebration on the sphere.
2018 – Nagin celebration by Bangladesh after eliminating Sri Lanka from the Nidahas Trophy.
2022 – Nagin celebration by Chamika Karunaratne after eliminating Bangladesh from the Asia Cup. pic.twitter.com/Po7yhyeAb5
-Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 1, 2022
The evening ended with damaged glass within the visiting staff’s locker room and nothing has modified since then.
Each time each groups meet, there is no such thing as a scarcity of provocative banners within the stands and venomous celebrations on the sphere.
In ODI cricket, Sri Lanka received 42 of their 53 ODI matches between the 2 international locations, whereas Bangladesh received 9. Additionally they have a bonus within the ODI World Cup, with 4 wins in 5 matches.
Sri Lanka have overwhelmed Bangladesh twice of their T20 World Cup encounters, however the Bengal Tigers tamed the Lanka Lions with a two-wicket victory in an exhilarating match within the 2024 version in Dallas.
Afghanistan vs Pakistan
Afghanistan and Pakistan have been concerned in a sophisticated geopolitical and cultural relationship for a number of many years and share a porous border that’s usually topic to violence and abrupt closures.
Political tensions have translated into fierce rivalry on the sphere, particularly lately when Afghanistan has shortly earned a popularity as a world champion.
A number of members of the primary Afghan cricket staff, together with former captains Gulbadin Naib and Mohammed Nabi, took up the game whereas residing in Pakistan as refugees throughout many years of warfare and turmoil of their dwelling nation.
The Pakistan Nationwide Cricket Academy in Lahore hosted the gamers for the coaching classes. A few of the early coaches of the Afghan staff additionally got here from Pakistan.
Nevertheless, the historic stress between the international locations has usually come to the fore when the groups have confronted one another lately. Though Pakistan has a 7-1 lead over its neighbors in ODI cricket and a 4-2 lead in T20 internationals, some current matches have seen last-ball finishes which have gone Pakistan’s means.
Quick bowler Naseem Shah has been a relentless thorn within the Afghan facet by taking Pakistan dwelling twice when defeat seemed sure.
This mixture of historical past and last-ball pictures has ended up lighting a hearth in each followers. Issues acquired significantly ugly when Afghan followers vandalized the stadium and threw chairs at their Pakistani counterparts after shedding an exhilarating match at Asia Cup 2022. This got here after tempers flared on the sphere when Pakistan batsman Asif Ali angrily swung his bat at Afghan bowler Fareed Ahmad.
The Afghans beat Pakistan within the ODI World Cup in India in November, sparking wild celebrations on the sphere and in Afghanistan.
Each side might meet within the Tremendous Eight stage of the T20 World Cup, in the event that they handle to qualify.
Australia vs India
Whereas these two of the game’s “massive three” have been taking part in one another for the reason that Forties, the competition gained momentum within the Eighties and have become a full-blown rivalry within the 2000s.
Many of the heated exchanges and thrilling encounters have taken place within the Border-Gavaskar Trophy of Take a look at cricket, particularly for the reason that well-known Eden Gardens Take a look at match in 2001, during which India got here again from a follow-on to win the match by two home windows.
A heated change between Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh and Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds led to the well-known “monkeygate” scandal, during which Singh was banned after which launched throughout the collection.
Within the Cricket World Cup, each groups have confronted one another within the knockout phases of the event lately.
In 2011, India beat Australia by 5 wickets in a hard-fought quarter-final to win the World Cup on dwelling soil.
Australia returned the favor 4 years later once they cruised to a 95-run victory in Sydney and went on to raise their fifth World Cup title. Each groups opened their 2023 marketing campaign towards one another in an exhilarating tie on Sunday in Chennai, which India received. by six wickets after a tough begin to their run chase.
The general ODI document of 150 matches nonetheless favors Australia, with 83 wins in comparison with India’s 50. The five-time champions additionally received eight of their 13 matches within the Cricket World Cup with India profitable 5.
In T20Is, India received 19 of their 31 matches and Australia received 11.
The 2 sides might meet within the Tremendous Eight of the 2024 T20 World Cup, in the event that they qualify.