If there has ever been a war beyond borders, it is perhaps waged on a cricket field between India and Pakistan. This hatred does not subside, and each confrontation weighs much more than runs and wickets. Cricket between the two countries has been entangled with wars, cross-border skirmishes, and terrorism for decades. Every time, the match became symbolic, frequently resuming after decades of quiet and holding emotions no other sporting event could. The history of India-Pakistan cricket is more than just bat and ball; it is also about timing. It is about who won the first match after each war or terror attack, a fact that frequently gets remembered in history books and among fans as well. IND vs PAK - First Matches After Wars, Terror Attacks & Tensions Conflict / Tension Match (First After) Venue Year Result 1947–48 Kashmir War 1st Test, Bilateral Series Delhi 1952 India won 1965 & 1971 Wars (freeze till late ’70s) 1st ODI, Bilateral Series Quetta 1978 India won During Kargil War 1999 World Cup 1999 Manchester 1999 India won First match after Kargil War Tri-series in Australia Brisbane 2000 Pakistan won After Kargil War (first ICC clash) World Cup 2003 Centurion 2003 India won First bilateral series after Kargil War 1st ODI, Bilateral Series Karachi 2004 India won 26/11 Mumbai Attacks 2008 Champions Trophy Centurion 2009 Pakistan won Uri Attack, Sept 2016 ICC Champions Trophy Birmingham 2017 India won Pulwama, Feb 2019 World Cup Manchester 2019 India won Also Read | Asia Cup 2025 Explained: Why It’s a T20 Tournament and What Fans Should Know 1952: Post the First Kashmir War Image Source: Getty Images The first-ever India-Pakistan series was held in 1952, four years post the first Kashmir war. It was historic in all sense. India won the opening Test in Delhi by an innings and 70 runs, making a solid start. Pakistan fought back in Lucknow, but India clinched the series 2-1 with a comprehensive win in Mumbai. Hemu Adhikari was India's top scorer with 81 runs and he was followed by Vijay Hazare who hammered 76 runs while batting at 3. With ball, it was Vinoo Mankad who rattled the wickets of Pakistani batters, claiming a total of 13 wickets (8/52 & 5/79) in two innings. Outcome after 1947-48 war: India won the first Test in Delhi, 1952. 1978: Following the 1965 and 1971 Wars Image Source: ESPNcricinfo Ltd After two big wars, cricket between India and Pakistan ceased for more than 17 years. The final return was in 1978 with an ODI at Quetta. It was a thriller, recalled for its drama and tension. India overcame Pakistan by a margin of only 4 runs, giving their comeback to cricketing relations a hard-won victory. All-rounder Mohinder Amarnath was adjudged as the player of the match for scoring 51 runs and scalping 2 wickets. Results after 1965 & 1971 wars: India won the first ODI in Quetta, 1978. 1999: At the time of the Kargil War Image Source: Getty Images Conflict and cricket coexisted when India played Pakistan at Manchester during the 1999 World Cup in England. Meanwhile, the Kargil war was going on. The game had immense emotional significance, and India responded by thrashing Pakistan by 47 runs. Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Azharuddin scored vital fifties, while Venkatesh Prasad scripted history by claiming a five-wicket haul. Result during Kargil war: India defeated the World Cup 1999 match in Manchester. Also Read | Best Players to Watch in Asia Cup 2025 2000: First Match After the Kargil War Image Source: Getty Images The first official game post-Kargil war came in the year 2000 during Carlton and United Tri-Series match at Brisbane. This time Pakistan had the last laugh as they beat India by 2 wickets in a tight contest. Despite Sourav Ganguly and Robin Singh's fifty plus score and Javagal Srinath's four wickets, India lost the game on the final ball of the Pakistan innings. Result after Kargil war: Pakistan won the tri-series match in Brisbane, 2000. 2003: First ICC Clash After Kargil Image Source: Neil Lane When the two sides clashed once more in the 2003 World Cup at Centurion, India persisted with their ICC event dominance. Sachin Tendulkar's masterclass 98 laid the foundation, and India overhauled Pakistan's 273 without much trouble. Saeed Anwar's century went in vain as India successfully chased down the target with 26 balls to spare. Outcome after Kargil in ICC tournament: India defeated Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup match in Centurion. 2004: First Bilateral Series After Kargil Image Source: Getty Images India toured Pakistan in 2004 for a bilateral series, the first one since the Kargil war. The Karachi ODI was a thriller. India defeated Pakistan by 5 runs in a cliffhanging finish, jumping ahead early. It was a run-fest at National Stadium where India posted 349/7, thanks to Rahul Dravid's 99 and Virender Sehwag's 79 runs. Although Inzamam-ul-Haq (122) and Mohammad Yusuf (73) showed the spirit to chase, it was India's bowling attack that restricted Pakistan from getting over the line. Zaheer Khan was the pick of the bowler with 3 wickets and he was assisted by 2 wickets of Murali Kartik and one each from Balaji, Nehra and Sehwag. Result after Kargil in bilateral cricket: India won the 1st ODI at Karachi in 2004. Also Read | Top 10 Best Cricket Stadiums in the World to Watch a Match Live 2009: Following the 26/11 Mumbai Attacks The 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks of 2008 put cricket relations between the two countries on ice. Ten months after that, India and Pakistan faced each other in the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy at Centurion. Pakistan trounced India by 54 runs, their first victory in such a high-stakes setting. Batting first, Pakistan posted 302/9 on the board. Shoaib Malik was the major contributor with 128 runs and he was accompanied by Mohammad Yusuf who added 87 runs. The chase was never going to be easy, especially against the quality bowling attack of Pakistan. Despite Rahul Dravid and Gautam Gambhir's fifty, India fell short by 54 runs Post-26/11 attacks result: Pakistan defeated the Champions Trophy match in Centurion, 2009. 2017: Post-Uri Attack Image Source: Getty Images Since the Uri attack in September 2016, the two sides again faced each other in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy at Birmingham. India ruled, defeating Pakistan by 124 runs (DLS). It was another instance of India's domination in ICC tournaments. The top 4 of India, Rohit Sharma (91), Shikhar Dhawan (68), Virat Kohli (81), Yuvraj Singh (53) wrecked havoc on Pakistan bowlers, positing 319/3 in 48 overs. In response, Pakistan was bundled out for mere 164, thanks to Umesh Yadav's brilliant bowling spell (3/30). Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya also picked up two wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar had one wicket to his name. Result after Uri attack: India defeated Pakistan in the Champions Trophy encounter at Birmingham, 2017. 2019: After the Pulwama Attack Image Source: Getty Images The Pulwama attack in February 2019 once more heightened tensions, but India and Pakistan confronted each other at the 2019 World Cup in Manchester. Rohit Sharma's 140 guided India to an easy 89-run victory (DLS method). Outcome after Pulwama attack: India defeated the 2019 World Cup match in Manchester. Also Read | India vs Pakistan Head-to-Head: A Complete Record in All Formats Bilateral Cricket After 26/11 Pakistan traveled to India briefly in 2012–13 for a limited-overs series, their first bilateral encounter since the Mumbai attacks. The T20I series was tied 1-1, and Pakistan won the ODI series 2-1. This is the last bilateral match between the two countries. Conclusion All India vs Pakistan matches have unparalleled significance, but those that come after wars and terrorism strikes are beyond comprehension. They are cricket plus, national honor, political strife, and emotional catharsis. From India's first 1952 victory to Pakistan's triumphs after 2000 and 2009, the outcome of these matches still resonates in both nations.