The Pakistan national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team timeline is one of the most dramatic stories in modern international cricket. In just 13 years, this rivalry transformed from a formality into a genuine contest – and then into one of Pakistan’s most uncomfortable matchups on the world stage.
Pakistan leads the all-time head-to-head record 15–6 across 21 matches. But the scoreline flatters them. Since March 2023, Afghanistan has won 4 of its last 7 T20Is against Pakistan, delivered an 8-wicket demolition at the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup, and pushed Pakistan to 1-wicket thrillers on multiple occasions. As of June 2026, Afghanistan is ranked 7th in ICC ODI rankings – Pakistan sits 8th. The student has nearly caught the teacher.
What makes this rivalry extraordinary is its origin: Afghanistan’s founding players learned cricket as refugees in Pakistani camps in Peshawar in the 1980s and 1990s. The Afghanistan Cricket Federation was formed in Pakistan in 1995. The sport that Pakistan unknowingly gifted to Afghan refugees has become the source of their most rapid decline in bilateral cricket credibility.
Pakistan vs Afghanistan Head-to-Head Record at a Glance
The overall head-to-head record between Pakistan and Afghanistan stands at 15–6 in Pakistan’s favour across 21 international matches – 9–2 in ODIs and 6–4 in T20Is, with no Tests played between the sides.
| Format | Matches | Pakistan Wins | Afghanistan Wins | No Result |
| ODI | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| T20I | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Test | 0 | – | – | – |
| Total | 21 | 15 | 6 | 0 |
Source: ESPNcricinfo official head-to-head records, updated through September 2025
Key Rivalry Facts at a Glance
| Category | Detail |
| First match | February 10, 2012 – ODI, Sharjah (Pakistan won by 7 wkts) |
| First Afghanistan win | March 24, 2023 – T20I, Sharjah (won by 6 wkts) |
| Biggest Afghanistan win | 8 wickets – 2023 ICC ODI World Cup, Chennai |
| Biggest Pakistan win | 142 runs – ODI, Hambantota, August 2023 |
| Closest Pakistan win | 1 wicket – 2022 Asia Cup T20I, Sharjah |
| Current T20I trend | Afghanistan won 4 of the last 7 T20Is |
| ICC ODI ranking (June 2026) | Afghanistan 7th, Pakistan 8th |
| Total matches played | 21 (11 ODIs + 10 T20Is) |
Complete Match Timeline: Every Pakistan vs Afghanistan Result (2012–2025)
Here is the full match-by-match timeline of the Pakistan national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team, from their first meeting in 2012 through the 2025 UAE Tri-Series.
| Date | Format | Tournament | Venue | Winner | Margin |
| Feb 10, 2012 | ODI | Bilateral | Sharjah | Pakistan | 7 wickets |
| Nov 5, 2013 | T20I | Bilateral | Sharjah | Pakistan | 11 runs |
| Sep 21, 2018 | ODI | Asia Cup | Abu Dhabi | Pakistan | 3 wickets |
| Oct 29, 2021 | T20I | ICC T20 WC | Dubai | Pakistan | 5 wickets |
| Sep 7, 2022 | T20I | Asia Cup | Sharjah | Pakistan | 1 wicket |
| Mar 24, 2023 | T20I | Bilateral | Sharjah | Afghanistan | 6 wickets |
| Mar 26, 2023 | T20I | Bilateral | Sharjah | Afghanistan | 7 wickets |
| Mar 27, 2023 | T20I | Bilateral | Sharjah | Pakistan | 66 runs |
| Aug 22, 2023 | ODI | Bilateral | Hambantota | Pakistan | 142 runs |
| Aug 24, 2023 | ODI | Bilateral | Hambantota | Pakistan | 1 wicket |
| Aug 26, 2023 | ODI | Bilateral | Colombo | Pakistan | 59 runs |
| Oct 6, 2023 | T20I | Asian Games | Hangzhou | Afghanistan | 4 wickets |
| Oct 23, 2023 | ODI | ICC WC | Chennai | Afghanistan | 8 wickets |
| Aug 29, 2025 | T20I | UAE Tri-Series | Sharjah | Pakistan | 39 runs |
| Sep 2, 2025 | T20I | UAE Tri-Series | Sharjah | Afghanistan | 18 runs |
| Sep 7, 2025 | T20I (Final) | UAE Tri-Series | Sharjah | Pakistan | 75 runs |
Source: ESPNcricinfo scorecards
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Win/Loss Split by Era
| Era | Matches | Pakistan Wins | Afghanistan Wins | Dominant Side |
| 2012–2021 | 5 | 5 | 0 | Pakistan (complete dominance) |
| 2022–2023 | 8 | 5 | 3 | Pakistan (narrow edge) |
| 2024–2025 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Pakistan (slight edge) |
| 2022–2025 (combined) | 11 | 7 | 4 | Contested rivalry |
Phase 1: Pakistan’s Early Dominance (2012–2021)
Between 2012 and 2021, Pakistan won every match it played against Afghanistan. The skill gap during this era was genuine – but it was closing faster than Pakistan recognised.
The Origin That Changes Everything
Before the first ball was bowled, this rivalry already had an extraordinary backstory. In the 1980s, millions of Afghan refugees arrived in the camps of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in Pakistan’s northwest. It was there – in Peshawar’s refugee settlements – that Afghan players first picked up a cricket bat. The Afghanistan Cricket Federation was formed in Pakistan in 1995. When those players returned home and built a national program, they did so using the sport Pakistan had unknowingly passed on to them.
Match-by-Match Summary: Phase 1 (2012–2021)
| Date | Venue | Format | Result | Key Performance |
| Feb 10, 2012 | Sharjah | ODI | PAK won by 7 wkts | Pakistan chased with 13 overs to spare |
| Nov 5, 2013 | Sharjah | T20I | PAK won by 11 runs | Routine Pakistan win |
| Sep 21, 2018 | Abu Dhabi | ODI | PAK won by 3 wkts | Rashid, Nabi, and Mujeeb restricted Pakistan heavily |
| Oct 29, 2021 | Dubai | T20I | PAK won by 5 wkts | AFG had beaten India in the same tournament |
February 10, 2012 – Sharjah (ODI, Bilateral)
Pakistan won by 7 wickets, completing the chase with 13 overs to spare. Afghanistan was still an Associate nation – this was their first official ODI against a Test-playing nation. A historic occasion, even if the result was never in doubt.
November 5, 2013 – Sharjah (T20I, Bilateral)
Pakistan won by 11 runs. Sharjah was already becoming Afghanistan’s preferred home venue. Their growing familiarity with UAE conditions would become a recurring tactical factor in matches to come.
September 21, 2018 – Abu Dhabi (Asia Cup ODI)
Pakistan won by 3 wickets – but this was the first genuine warning that the rivalry’s one-sided nature had an expiry date. Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Mujeeb ur Rahman collectively strangled Pakistan’s batting lineup through the middle overs. Afghanistan did not win, but they won the battle between their bowling attack and Pakistan’s batters.
October 29, 2021 – Dubai (ICC T20 World Cup)
Pakistan won by 5 wickets. Afghanistan had already beaten India in the same tournament. They entered this match with confidence. They lost because their batting still could not consistently convert their bowling dominance into wins. That batting gap was the only structural weakness remaining – and franchise cricket was about to close it.
Phase 2: The 1-Wicket Warning – Asia Cup 2022
Pakistan won by 1 wicket with 2 balls remaining in the 2022 Asia Cup T20I at Sharjah. It was Pakistan’s thinnest-ever victory against Afghanistan – and it came only because of two back-to-back sixes from Naseem Shah off the final over.
September 7, 2022 – Match Snapshot
| Detail | Figure |
| Venue | Sharjah Cricket Stadium |
| Tournament | Asia Cup T20I 2022 |
| Pakistan’s position entering the final over | 7 wickets down |
| Final over bowled by | Fazalhaq Farooqi |
| Winning shot | Back-to-back sixes by Naseem Shah |
| Margin | 1 wicket (2 balls remaining) |
| Result significance | Pakistan’s narrowest-ever win vs Afghanistan |
The match is almost always remembered as a Naseem Shah moment. It was actually an Afghanistan near-miss that revealed a structural shift nobody in Pakistan’s camp wanted to acknowledge.
What the result hid: Afghanistan had dominated large phases of this match. Their bowling attack – by then one of the best in T20 cricket – had reduced Pakistan to crisis. The 1-wicket margin is the minimum possible winning margin in cricket. This was not Pakistan grinding out a tough win; this was Pakistan surviving a team that had already outplayed them.
This was also the second consecutive bilateral contest where Pakistan required late heroics. The pattern was structural, not coincidental.
Phase 3: The Breakthrough – March 2023
Afghanistan won its first-ever T20I series against Pakistan in March 2023, winning 2–0 in Sharjah. It was the first bilateral series win by Afghanistan against any top-six-ranked nation in the world.
This phase is the most important chapter in the entire Pakistan national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team timeline. It did not happen by accident.
Why 2023 Was Different – Three Structural Reasons
| Factor | Detail |
| Batting maturity | Gurbaz, Zadran, and Rahmat Shah had completed multiple IPL, BBL, and CPL cycles |
| Bowling evolution | Fazalhaq Farooqi had mastered the UAE’s new-ball conditions at pace |
| Venue knowledge | Rashid Khan had more Sharjah matches than most Pakistan players in their careers |
| Preparation | Afghanistan came with specific game plans; Pakistan came with a reputation |
March 2023 Series – Match-by-Match
| Match | Date | Result | Margin | Series Position |
| 1st T20I | Mar 24, 2023 | Afghanistan won | 6 wickets | AFG lead 1–0 |
| 2nd T20I | Mar 26, 2023 | Afghanistan won | 7 wickets | AFG win series 2–0 |
| 3rd T20I | Mar 27, 2023 | Pakistan won | 66 runs | PAK consolation win |
March 24, 2023 – 1st T20I, Sharjah
Afghanistan won by 6 wickets – their first-ever international victory against Pakistan. The margin was not close. Pakistan’s bowling attack, which had been their most reliable weapon, was outbowled and outbatted in the same match.
March 26, 2023 – 2nd T20I, Sharjah
Afghanistan won by 7 wickets, sealing the series 2–0. Afghanistan had become the first team to win a bilateral T20I series against Pakistan on UAE soil while ranked outside the top three.
March 27, 2023 – 3rd T20I, Sharjah
Pakistan won by 66 runs – a consolation result that changed nothing about the historical significance of what had already occurred. The series was over. The message had already been delivered to world cricket.
Phase 4: The Missing Chapter – ODI Series in Sri Lanka (August 2023)
Pakistan won the 3-match ODI series against Afghanistan 3–0 in Sri Lanka in August 2023 – but the scoreline conceals a recurring pattern of last-over collapses that would prove prophetic weeks later at the World Cup.
Most coverage of the Pakistan vs Afghanistan cricket rivalry history skips this series entirely. It should not.
August 2023 ODI Series – Full Summary
| Match | Date | Venue | Winner | Margin | Notable Detail |
| 1st ODI | Aug 22, 2023 | Hambantota | Pakistan | 142 runs | Pakistan’s biggest-ever win vs AFG |
| 2nd ODI | Aug 24, 2023 | Hambantota | Pakistan | 1 wicket | Won with 1 ball remaining – again |
| 3rd ODI | Aug 26, 2023 | Colombo | Pakistan | 59 runs | Clean finish to the series |
Pakistan won the series 3–0, but the 2nd ODI was won by 1 wicket with 1 ball remaining – for the second time in successive bilateral series, Pakistan required a last-ball escape against Afghanistan’s bowling attack. This was not a fluke; it was a recurring structural fragility that Afghanistan’s bowling was specifically engineered to exploit.
Pakistan flew to India for the World Cup with a 3–0 series win and, apparently, a false sense of security.
Phase 5: The World Cup Earthquake – October 2023
Afghanistan beat Pakistan by 8 wickets at the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup on October 23, 2023, in Chennai. It was Afghanistan’s first-ever ODI win against Pakistan and effectively ended Pakistan’s semifinal campaign.
October 23, 2023 – ICC ODI World Cup, Chennai: Match Scorecard Summary
| Team | Score | Overs |
| Pakistan | 282/7 | 50 |
| Afghanistan | 283/2 | 49 |
Afghanistan’s Match-Winning Chase – Top Scorers
| Batter | Runs | Significance |
| Ibrahim Zadran | 87 | Highest individual score in this rivalry |
| Rahmat Shah | 77 | Anchor of the chase |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | 65 | Explosive start at the top |
Pakistan’s Total – Key Contributors
| Batter | Runs | Role |
| Babar Azam | 74 | Batting anchor |
| Abdullah Shafique | 58 | Opening partner |
The common analytical mistake in post-match coverage was calling this a “shock result.” It was not. Afghanistan’s T20I form against Pakistan was a direct leading indicator of their ODI capability. The format had changed; the team quality had not. Three weeks earlier, Afghanistan had been beaten 3–0 by Pakistan in Sri Lanka – that ODI series result created a misleading baseline.
The real consequence: This defeat effectively eliminated Pakistan from World Cup semifinal contention. A team whose founding players had learned cricket in Pakistani refugee camps had knocked Pakistan out of a global tournament on the sport’s biggest stage.
October 6, 2023 – Asian Games T20I, Hangzhou
Afghanistan won by 4 wickets. Less high-profile than the World Cup win, but it confirmed the T20I trend was sustained. Afghanistan beat Pakistan in back-to-back international events within three weeks in October 2023.
Phase 6: Pakistan Fight Back – UAE Tri-Series 2025
Pakistan won the UAE T20I Tri-Series 2025 by defeating Afghanistan in the final, but Afghanistan’s mid-series win confirmed the rivalry remains tight on any given day.
UAE T20I Tri-Series 2025 – Full Results
| Match | Date | Winner | Margin | Context |
| Match 1 | Aug 29, 2025 | Pakistan | 39 runs | Pakistan dominant |
| Match 2 | Sep 2, 2025 | Afghanistan | 18 runs | AFG level the series |
| Final | Sep 7, 2025 | Pakistan | 75 runs | Pakistan win trophy |
Pakistan won the trophy 2–1. Afghanistan’s win in Match 2 – at the same Sharjah venue, in identical conditions – confirmed what the data had been showing: on a neutral day, Afghanistan are Pakistan’s equals in T20 cricket.
The 2025 Withdrawal – Key Facts
| Detail | Information |
| Event | Planned tri-series hosted by Pakistan |
| Reason for withdrawal | Three Afghan cricketers killed in Urgun district cross-border attack |
| Replacement team | Zimbabwe |
| Organising body response | ICC and ACB both issued official statements |
| Bilateral cricket impact | Series cancelled; relationship under severe strain |
This is a structural risk that defines the entire rivalry. Bilateral cricket between these two nations depends on a relationship that is actively fragile. No other bilateral cricket rivalry carries this specific geopolitical risk.
Key Players: Who Has Defined This Rivalry
The Pakistan vs Afghanistan cricket head-to-head record has been shaped by a small group of elite performers on both sides – players whose individual quality has repeatedly decided matches.
Pakistan’s Key Performers
| Player | Role | Defining Moment | Impact Rating |
| Babar Azam | Batting anchor | 74 in 2023 WC – in a losing cause | High |
| Naseem Shah | Pace bowler/clutch batter | Two sixes to win the 2022 Asia Cup | Very High |
| Abdullah Shafique | Opening batter | 58 in 2023 WC total of 282/7 | Medium |
| Mohammad Rizwan | Wicketkeeper-batter | Consistent middle-order presence | Medium |
Afghanistan’s Key Performers
| Player | Role | Career Highlight vs Pakistan | ICC Ranking Peak |
| Rashid Khan | Leg-spin bowler | Match-winner in 2023 T20Is | No. 1 ODI bowler (Oct 2025) |
| Fazalhaq Farooqi | Left-arm pace | Final-over pressure in the 2022 Asia Cup | Top 5 T20I bowlers |
| Ibrahim Zadran | Top-order batter | 87 in 2023 WC – highest score in rivalry | – |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Opening batter | 65 in 2023 WC chase | – |
| Rahmat Shah | Middle-order anchor | 77 in 2023 WC | – |
| Azmatullah Omarzai | All-rounder | Series-defining contributions 2023–2025 | No. 1 ODI all-rounder (Oct 2025) |
| Mohammad Nabi | Spin all-rounder | Senior bowling leader since 2018 | – |
| Mujeeb ur Rahman | Off-spin | Strangled Pakistan inthe 2018 Asia Cup | – |
ICC Rankings Comparison: Pakistan vs Afghanistan (2018–2026)
One of the most telling stories in this rivalry is not on the scoreboard – it is in the ICC rankings. Afghanistan has risen dramatically, while Pakistan has stagnated.
| Year | Afghanistan ODI Rank | Pakistan ODI Rank | Gap |
| 2018 | Outside to the p 10 | 5th | Pakistan significantly ahead |
| 2021 | 10th | 6th | Pakistan ahead |
| 2023 | 9th | 7th | Narrowing |
| 2025 | 8th | 8th | Equal |
| June 2026 | 7th | 8th | Afghanistan ahead |
Source: ICC official rankings
For the first time in history, Afghanistan ranks above Pakistan in ICC ODI cricket. This single data point contextualises the entire Pakistan national cricket team vs Afghanistan national cricket team timeline more powerfully than any cumulative win-loss record.
Venue Analysis: Where This Rivalry Has Been Decided
Sharjah has been the defining venue of this rivalry – a ground that Afghanistan knows better than almost any team in the world.
| Venue | Matches Played | Pakistan Wins | Afghanistan Wins | Notable |
| Sharjah | 9 | 5 | 4 | AFG’s adopted home; nearly equal record |
| Abu Dhabi | 1 | 1 | 0 | Asia Cup 2018 |
| Dubai | 1 | 1 | 0 | ICC T20 WC 2021 |
| Hambantota | 2 | 2 | 0 | ODI series 2023 |
| Colombo | 1 | 1 | 0 | ODI series 2023 |
| Chennai | 1 | 0 | 1 | ICC WC 2023 – AFG’s biggest win |
| Hangzhou | 1 | 0 | 1 | Asian Games 2023 |
Sharjah tells the real story of this rivalry. Afghanistan’s record at this venue against Pakistan – 4 wins from 9 matches – is almost equal, and all four of their wins have come since 2022. Pakistan’s dominance at Sharjah has effectively ended.
Format-by-Format Trend Analysis
The trend within each format reveals how this rivalry has evolved – and which format Afghanistan has made its own.
T20I Format Trend
| Period | Matches | PAK Wins | AFG Wins | Trend |
| 2013–2021 | 3 | 3 | 0 | Pakistan dominant |
| 2022–2025 | 7 | 3 | 4 | Afghanistan dominant |
ODI Format Trend
| Period | Matches | PAK Wins | AFG Wins | Trend |
| 2012–2021 | 2 | 2 | 0 | Pakistan dominant |
| 2022–2025 | 9 | 7 | 2 | Pakistan is leading but fragile |
The T20I format has become Afghanistan’s strongest battleground against Pakistan. Since 2022, they have a winning record in T20Is – 4 wins to Pakistan’s 3. The ODI format still favours Pakistan on numbers, but two of Pakistan’s last four ODI wins required last-ball heroics.
What the Numbers Actually Tell You
The headline 15–6 overall lead flatters Pakistan. The trend data and current ICC rankings tell a fundamentally different story about where this rivalry is heading.
Pakistan’s 9–2 ODI lead includes results from an era (2012–2021) when Afghanistan was still closing a structural gap as a relatively new Test nation. Measuring early-era results as equivalent to recent form distorts the actual competitive picture.
The T20I split of 6–4 – with Afghanistan winning 4 of the last 7 T20Is – is the more honest indicator of current competitive balance.
The ranking comparison is the most striking data point of all:
- Afghanistan ICC ODI ranking, June 2026: 7th
- Pakistan ICC ODI ranking, June 2026: 8th
Rashid Khan held the No. 1 ICC ODI bowling ranking in October 2025, and Azmatullah Omarzai held the No. 1 ICC ODI all-rounder ranking at the same time – Pakistan had no player ranked No. 1 in any individual ICC category at that point.
The direction of momentum is unambiguous. Every data point from 2022 onward points the same way.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Pakistan first play Afghanistan in cricket?
Pakistan and Afghanistan first played each other in an ODI on February 10, 2012, in Sharjah. Pakistan won by 7 wickets. It was Afghanistan’s first official ODI against a Test-playing nation.
What is the Pakistan vs Afghanistan head-to-head record?
As of September 2025, Pakistan leads 15–6 overall: 9–2 in ODIs and 6–4 in T20Is across 21 matches.
When did Afghanistan first beat Pakistan?
Afghanistan beat Pakistan for the first time on March 24, 2023, in the 1st T20I at Sharjah, winning by 6 wickets.
Has Afghanistan beaten Pakistan in the ICC World Cup?
Yes. Afghanistan beat Pakistan by 8 wickets in the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup on October 23, 2023, in Chennai – Afghanistan’s first-ever ODI win against Pakistan.
What happened in the Pakistan vs Afghanistan ODI series in Sri Lanka (2023)?
Pakistan won the 3-match ODI series 3–0 in August 2023. However, the 2nd ODI was won by just 1 wicket with 1 ball remaining – continuing the recurring pattern of Pakistan needing last-ball escapes against Afghanistan’s bowling attack.
How many T20Is has Afghanistan won against Pakistan?
Afghanistan has won 4 out of 10 T20Is against Pakistan as of September 2025.
Why did Afghanistan withdraw from Pakistan’s 2025 tri-series?
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) withdrew after three Afghan cricketers were killed in a cross-border attack in the Urgun district. Zimbabwe replaced Afghanistan in the tournament.
What is Afghanistan’s ICC ranking in 2026?
As of June 2026, Afghanistan is ranked 7th in ICC ODI rankings and 10th in T20I rankings – their highest-ever ODI position, and currently above Pakistan.
Who is the best bowler in the Pakistan vs Afghanistan rivalry?
Rashid Khan is Afghanistan’s most impactful bowler in this rivalry. He held the No. 1 ICC ODI bowling ranking in October 2025. Fazalhaq Farooqi is the most clinical death and new-ball operator Afghanistan has deployed against Pakistan.
Where did Afghanistan’s cricket players originally learn the game?
Afghanistan’s founding players learned cricket as refugees in Pakistani camps in Peshawar in the 1980s and 1990s. The Afghanistan Cricket Federation was formally established in Pakistan in 1995. The sport that Pakistan passed on through refugee settlements is now the foundation of their most competitive bilateral rivalry.
