The high-voltage clash between India and Pakistan is set to return to center stage once again – this time in the Asia Cup 2025, with the two arch-rivals locking horns on September 14 in Abu Dhabi. And as the countdown begins, one of India’s most destructive openers, Virender Sehwag, has offered a fiery reminder of what this rivalry truly means to those who’ve lived it.
In a candid conversation shared by Sony Sports Network on X (formerly Twitter), the 46-year-old Sehwag recalled how losing to Pakistan during his playing days would leave him fuming and deeply unsettled.
“Whenever you lose against Pakistan, I would lose my concentration. I would lose my temperament and everything,” Sehwag confessed.
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Sehwag’s Storied Rivalry With Pakistan
Sehwag, who built a reputation for fearless, often brutal, batting at the top of the order, played 42 matches against Pakistan across formats and scored them at an average of 50.65, a testament to his comfort against their pace and spin arsenals. But despite his personal success, the results didn’t always go India’s way.
Out of those 42 matches, Sehwag ended up on the losing side 21 times, with 17 wins and a few no results. And each of those defeats, as he recalls, left a scar.
His numbers may speak volumes, but for Sehwag, it’s the emotion of the rivalry that still lingers.
Karachi 2008: Sehwag’s Hungry Hundred
One of the most memorable chapters in Sehwag’s storied career came during India’s 2008 tour of Pakistan. In Karachi, chasing a daunting target of 300, Sehwag turned up with what seemed like a personal mission. He smashed a jaw-dropping 119 off just 95 balls, a knock laced with 12 fours and 5 sixes, propelling India to a six-wicket win with 47 balls to spare.
What made it more astonishing? He was fasting that day.
“I was on a fast that day. On an empty stomach. I had to score runs to satisfy that hunger,” Sehwag quipped, offering a classic one-liner that only he could deliver with such ease.
Asia Cup 2025: Another Chapter in the Rivalry
India and Pakistan are drawn together in Group A of the Asia Cup 2025, alongside UAE and Oman. India will open their campaign on September 10 against UAE, before the much-anticipated clash with Pakistan on September 14.
The group stage concludes for India with a game against Oman on September 19, all matches being held in Abu Dhabi.
Despite the political and diplomatic tensions off the field, the two cricketing giants continue to face each other in multinational tournaments and every contest is a spectacle for millions of fans worldwide. For many, it’s more than just cricket. And for former warriors like Sehwag, it still stirs the blood.
More Than Just a Game
With younger stars now donning the blue and green, the rivalry has entered a new era. But the intensity remains unchanged – whether it’s Sehwag in Karachi in 2008, or a new hero waiting to emerge in 2025.
As India gears up to face Pakistan once again, the stories from past greats like Sehwag remind us why this fixture is unlike any other in world cricket.
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