Cricket is celebrated as something more than a sport in specific parts of the globe, especially India. To cater to fans’ needs for exciting matches, many tournaments and leagues, both domestic and international ones, are held throughout the year. Besides offering die-hard fans the chance to witness top-tier matches, major tournaments also bring forth the opportunity to indulge in fantasy cricket.
Indulging in online fantasy cricket games allows fans to test their analytical and prediction skills and earn exciting rewards, including real money, by showcasing exceptional performances and winning fantasy matches.
Besides all other factors, what makes fans excited about specific tournaments is the chance to witness rival teams battle against each other on the field. Over the years, many on-field rivalries have developed in cricket, each of which further enhances the excitement of clashes between teams. Here is an in-depth look at some of the most popular cricket rivalries in international cricket:
Top 5 Greatest Rivalries in Cricket World
1. India and Pakistan
The tension between India and Pakistan transcends politics and borders and extends to cricket matches. There are multiple reasons why the rivalry between the two neighboring countries is the most popular one in international cricket.
Whenever the two teams clash in international tournaments, it receives hundreds of millions of views, irrespective of the channel or the OTT platform where the match is streamed.
Hardcore fans on either side of the border take time off work to watch the teams clash. Every player on either team puts in all they have to win clashes since the hopes of hundreds of millions of fans ride on their shoulders on match day.
In terms of records, India has dominated Pakistan in World Cups. The most recent domination from the “Men in Blue” came in the last T20 World Cup, when Team India turned the match around, thanks to Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya’s exceptional performance. However, Pakistan also has defeated India a few times.
2. England and Australia
The rivalry between England and Australia is the oldest one in international cricket. It dates back almost two centuries ago. Like India and Pakistan, England and Australia have an interesting off-the-field history.
Although this is very small compared to the British’s history with other countries, including pre-partition India, it has added fierceness to the on-field rivalry between England and Australia.
One of the most aggressive displays of the rivalry is The Ashes. In the popular test series, both teams compete fiercely to win the title and make their fans and country proud.
As per statistics, Australia and England have faced each other 356 times in test matches, out of which the former has won 150 matches, the latter has clinched victory in 110 matches, and on the remaining 96 occasions, the match ended in a draw. Even in ODIs, Australia is currently superior to England.
3. Australia and India
Although not superior to the Indo-Pak on-field rivalry, the rivalry between Australia and India is also famous in international cricket. Unlike other rivalries, the rift between India and Australia is not very old.
It all started after the popular test series that both teams played in 2001. India emerged victorious by winning 2 out of the 3 matches in the series.
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Although both teams give their best during matches, India and Australia have struggled to clinch test series titles on each other’s home grounds. In terms of ODI matches, both teams have faced each other on 145 occasions.
Out of the 145 games, India has only won 54 matches, whereas Australia has emerged victorious in 81 matches. However, India has a better record in T20Is.
4. South Africa and Australia
South Africa and Australia are two such teams that fight it out on the field in almost every sport, especially cricket. The rivalry between the two teams is very well-known in the cricket world.
It all started in 2008-2009 when South Africa became the first team ever to defeat Australia at their home ground in 16 years. The win was massive, which further added fuel to the fire that is the rivalry between these teams.
Australia reverted by drawing an almost-lost test series against the Proteas in 2011. Both teams leave no stone unturned to defeat the other in matches, making their clashes very popular.
Both teams have faced each other in 103 ODIs. Australia has won 48 of them, whereas South Africa has clinched victory 51 times. Besides this, both teams have played 101 test matches, where Australia has won 54 matches, and South Africa has won only 26.
5. Australia and New Zealand
It may now be evident that Australia enjoys being a rival of all good teams. The rivalry between Australia and New Zealand is very subtle but fierce.
The Kiwis won the first ICC Test Championship but lost to the boys from the Land Down Under in the 2015 ODI World Cup Final and the 2021 T20 World Cup Final.
Both teams have contested each other in 60 test matches, out of which Australia has won 34 games, and New Zealand has emerged victorious on 8 occasions. The case with ODIs is no different.
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Australia has won 95 matches, whereas the Kiwis managed to defeat their rival in only 39 matches. Coming to T20 clashes, Australia has won 10 matches, whereas New Zealand has only cliched 6 victories.
Cricket rivalries are great for everyone, including the audience, broadcasters, and organizers. The aforementioned rivalries have existed for many years and will continue to do so for many years to come.
