The rivalry between Australia and Pakistan in cricket is one of the most enviable in international cricket history. This rivalry dates as far back as the 1950’s and encompasses fierce competition, memorable moments, and some iconic performances that have amazed fans in generations gone by. Despite the fact Australia has a better head-to-head record overall, there is no argument that Pakistan have produced some moments of their own to mesmerise fans, showing their ability and fight. Here is a detailed timeline of the journey of the Australia vs Pakistan rivalry in cricket.
Australian Men’s Cricket Team Vs Pakistan National Cricket Team Timeline – 1956 to 2025
1. Early Encounters 1950s to 70’s
1956-57: First Encounter
The rivalry began back in 1956, in Karachi, with Pakistan playing host to Australia in just the one Test match, and what a Test match it was. Pakistan rolled the visitors for 80, and chased it down to win the test by 9 wickets- a fantastic start to their rivalry.
1959-60 Series in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh)
Australia exacted some small revenge from their 1956 loss by winning the 4 match series 2-0, with two matches drawn. The most notable Test match of the series happened in Dhaka, where two respective innings by Norman O’Neill (134) and Saeed Ahmed (166) were two of the more famous innings of this rivalry.
1972-73 Series in Australia
Australia claimed a 3-0 whitewash of Pakistan in the home series. When you look at the Australian playing team during this period, it included the likes of the Chappell brothers, Lillee, Redpath and many more.
1975 Prudential World Cup
The nations played each other in their first One Day International match during the Grounds during both teams first World Cup. Australia, lead by Ross Edwards with his unbeaten 80, won the match with an easy 30 run margin, which had continued to set the tone of the rivalry.
2. 1980s to 2000: Rise of Rivals
1982-1983 Whitewash in Pakistan
Pakistan’s dominance was on full display as they clean-swept Australia 3-0. Memorable knocks from Zaheer Abbas, Mohsin Khan, and Javed Miandad stood out.
1987-1988 Reliance World Cup Semi-Final
Australia edged out Pakistan in a close contest by 18 runs, eventually winning the tournament by defeating England in the final.
1988-1989 Low-Scoring ODI Thriller
A memorable ODI ended with both teams scoring 229, but Pakistan won with fewer wickets lost, highlighting the fine margins in the rivalry.
1989-1990 Benson & Hedges Series
Australia beat Pakistan in the finals of this tri-series, dominating with strong performances from their top-order and bowlers.
1994-1995 Grit in Karachi
In a classic Test match, Pakistan edged out Australia by 1 wicket, with a memorable second innings run chase that saw them end at 315/9.
1999 ICC World Cup Final
One of the most significant encounters, where Australia trounced Pakistan by 8 wickets to lift the World Cup. Pakistan’s famed batting and bowling units faltered on the big day.
3. 2000 to 2015: High-Intensity Clashes
1999-2000 Carlton & United Series
Australia asserted dominance, winning both finals with Glenn McGrath leading the bowling attack.
2001 NatWest Series Final
At Lord’s, Australia chased down Pakistan’s 152 with ease, led by Adam Gilchrist’s unbeaten 76.
2002-2003 PSO Tri-Nation Final (No Result)
A rain-marred final saw the match abandoned, with Australia at 67/1 in pursuit of a revised 210-run target.
2004-2005 Videocon Cup Final
Australia again emerged victorious, winning by 17 runs, defending a total of 192.
2007 ICC World T20 First T20I Battle
In their first-ever T20I meeting, Pakistan comfortably chased Australia’s 164, winning by 6 wickets.
2009-2010 Test Series in Australia
The Kangaroos whitewashed Pakistan 3-0, thanks to contributions from Ponting, Clarke, Watson, and others.
2010 ICC World T20 Semi-Final
Australia pulled off a dramatic chase of 192, with Mike Hussey’s explosive knock stealing the win in the final over.
2012-2013 Super Over Thriller
In a tied T20I, Pakistan won in the Super Over by a solitary run in a tense finish.
2014-2015 World Cup Quarter-Final
Australia advanced to the semi-finals by beating Pakistan by 6 wickets, chasing down 213 in 33.5 overs.
2014-2015 Test Series in UAE
Pakistan thrashed Australia in a 2-0 Test series win, with massive margins of 221 and 356 runs, powered by Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, and Yasir Shah.
4. 2015 to Recent Encounters: Modern-Day Rivalry
2016-2017 Test Series in Australia
Australia swept the 3-match series 3-0, though Asad Shafiq’s 137 and Azhar Ali’s double century stood out for Pakistan.
2018 Zimbabwe T20 Tri-Series Final
Pakistan chased 183 in just 19.2 overs, defeating Australia by 6 wickets in the final, cementing their dominance in T20s.
2019-2020 T20I Series
Australia recorded a 10-wicket win, chasing 106 without losing a wicket, thanks to Warner and Finch.
2021 ICC T20 World Cup Semi-Final
In one of the most thrilling T20Is, Australia defeated Pakistan by 5 wickets, with Matthew Wade’s 41* off 17 balls sealing the deal.
2021-2022 Test Series in Pakistan
The historic tour ended with Australia winning the third and final Test by 115 runs, after two high-scoring draws.
2023-2024 Test Series in Australia
Australia again dominated at home, winning all three Tests by 360 runs, 79 runs, and 8 wickets, respectively. David Warner, Steve Smith, and Pat Cummins led the charge.
5. Result Summaries: A Statistical Perspective
Tests (1956–2024)
- Matches Played: 72
- Australia Wins: 37 (51.38%)
- Pakistan Wins: 15 (20.83%)
- Draws: 20 (27.77%)
- Australia’s Win/Loss Ratio: 2.466
Australia clearly leads in Test victories, with more than double the wins compared to Pakistan, while a significant portion of matches have ended in draws.
ODIs (1975–2024)
- Matches Played: 111
- Australia Wins: 71 (63.96%)
- Pakistan Wins: 36 (32.43%)
- Tied: 1
- No Result: 3
- Australia’s Win/Loss Ratio: 1.972
Australia maintains a strong edge in ODIs as well, winning nearly two-thirds of the matches.
T20Is (2007–2024)
- Matches Played: 28
- Australia Wins: 14 (50%)
- Pakistan Wins: 12 (42.85%)
- Tied: 0
- No Result: 1
- Australia’s Win/Loss Ratio: 1.166
In the shortest format, the rivalry is much closer, with Australia just edging Pakistan in wins.
Pakistan tour of Australia, 2024 Full Schedule and Results
| Date | Match Details | Venue | Result | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 04, Mon | AUSTRALIA vs PAKISTAN 1st ODI | Melbourne | Australia won by 2 wkts | 9:00 AM |
| Nov 08, Fri | AUSTRALIA vs PAKISTAN 2nd ODI | Adelaide | Pakistan won by 9 wkts | 9:00 AM |
| Nov 10, Sun | AUSTRALIA vs PAKISTAN 3rd ODI | Perth | Pakistan won by 8 wkts | 9:00 AM |
| Nov 14, Thu | AUSTRALIA vs PAKISTAN 1st T20I | Brisbane | Australia won by 29 runs | 1:30 PM |
| Nov 16, Sat | AUSTRALIA vs PAKISTAN 2nd T20I | Sydney | Australia won by 13 runs | 1:30 PM |
| Nov 18, Mon | AUSTRALIA vs PAKISTAN 3rd T20I | Hobart | Australia won by 7 wkts | 1:30 PM |
Pakistan tour of Australia, 2024 – ODI Squads
Pakistan Team ODI Squad
Batters
- Abdullah Shafique – Batter
- Arafat Minhas – Batter
- Babar Azam – Batter
- Saim Ayub – Batter
All Rounders
- Irfan Khan – Batting Allrounder
- Kamran Ghulam – Batting Allrounder
- Salman Agha – Batting Allrounder
- Aamer Jamal – Bowling Allrounder
Wicket Keepers
- Haseebullah Khan – WK-Batter
- Mohammad Rizwan (Captain) – WK-Batter
Bowlers
- Naseem Shah – Bowler
- Shaheen Afridi – Bowler
- Haris Rauf – Bowler
- Faisal Akram – Bowler
- Mohammad Hasnain – Bowler
Australia Team ODI Squad
Batters
- Jake Fraser-McGurk – Batter
- Matthew Short – Batter
- Steven Smith – Batter
- Marnus Labuschagne – Batter
All Rounders
- Cooper Connolly – Batting Allrounder
- Aaron Hardie – Batting Allrounder
- Marcus Stoinis – Batting Allrounder
- Glenn Maxwell – Batting Allrounder
Wicket Keeper
- Josh Inglis – WK-Batter
Bowlers
- Pat Cummins (Captain) – Bowler
- Josh Hazlewood – Bowler
- Sean Abbott – Bowler
- Mitchell Starc – Bowler
- Adam Zampa – Bowler
Pakistan tour of Australia, 2024 – T20I Squads
Pakistan Team T20I Squad
Batters
- Arafat Minhas – Batter
- Babar Azam – Batter
- Omair Yousuf – Batter
All Rounders
- Irfan Khan – Batting Allrounder
- Salman Agha – Batting Allrounder
- Jahandad Khan – Bowling Allrounder
Wicket Keepers
- Haseebullah Khan – WK-Batter
- Mohammad Rizwan – WK-Batter
- Sahibzada Farhan – WK-Batter
- Usman Khan – WK-Batter
Bowlers
- Haris Rauf – Bowler
- Abbas Afridi – Bowler
- Naseem Shah – Bowler
- Shaheen Afridi – Bowler
- Sufiyan Muqeem – Bowler
Australia Team T20I Squad
Batters
- Tim David – Batter
- Jake Fraser-McGurk – Batter
- Matthew Short – Batter
All Rounders
- Cooper Connolly – Batting Allrounder
- Aaron Hardie – Batting Allrounder
- Glenn Maxwell – Batting Allrounder
- Marcus Stoinis – Batting Allrounder
Wicket Keeper
- Josh Inglis (Captain) – WK-Batter
Bowlers
- Sean Abbott – Bowler
- Xavier Bartlett – Bowler
- Nathan Ellis – Bowler
- Spencer Johnson – Bowler
- Adam Zampa – Bowler
Conclusion: A Rivalry Etched in Cricketing History
The Australia vs Pakistan cricket rivalry is a testament to the unpredictable and thrilling nature of the sport. From iconic victories and legendary performances to crushing defeats and spirited comebacks, the battles between these two powerhouses have delivered time and again. While Australia has held a statistical advantage across formats, Pakistan’s moments of brilliance—both in home conditions and on foreign soil—have proven their prowess. As both teams continue to evolve, fans worldwide eagerly await the next chapter in this compelling rivalry, knowing that it will be another opportunity for cricketing history to be made.
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