It’s been a very long time since India and Pakistan played a test match; an entire generation has grown up in this tenure who never tasted the rivalry between these two countries in white.
When India and Pakistan last played each other in a Test match, Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble were still playing cricket for India, MS Dhoni had not led his country in a Test match, and Virat Kohli did not make his debut for team India.
It was the last time in December 2007 when India and Pakistan met in white attire on a cricket field. Since then, we haven’t seen a bilateral series in almost 18 years because the two countries have refused to tour each other for many reasons.
However, this can be changed in 2025, and we can witness India and Pakistan competing in a five-day match again.
The upcoming World Test Championship Final, which might take place at the storied Lord’s Cricket Ground at the conclusion of the 2023–25 cycle, will present cricket fans in India and Pakistan with their next chance to see a Test match between these two bitter rivals.
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Let’s see how both teams can meet in the World Test Championship Final 2025.
India’s road to the WTC final 2025
India is the clear favorite to make it to the final of the WTC because they have advanced to every WTC final played so far. With 68.52 percentage points won, India leads the WTC 2023–25 cycle standings at the moment, while Australia is ranked second, with 62.50 percent points.
At the end of 2024, India will play New Zealand and Australia away in the Test series; therefore, their path to the final won’t be easy. However, India is anticipated to continue its winning ways with the appointment of Gautam Gambhir as head coach.
Pakistan’s route to the WTC final 2025
Pakistan faces a challenging task if they hope to advance to the final. Having participated in just five tests thus far in the cycle, they are presently ranked fifth in the WTC 2023–25 cycle table with a percentage point win of 36.66. This year, Pakistan will host England and Bangladesh before playing a single Test match away from home in South Africa to close the season.
If Pakistan puts up a great show in the challenges ahead, then the chances of these neighbors’ meeting in the World Test Championship final might significantly increase.
Because India is a consistently performing test nation and might easily finish in the top two, but if Pakistan ups its performance bar and finishes in the top two of the 2023-25 WTC cycle, then we might witness a once-in-a-lifetime moment—the India vs Pakistan Test Match and that too final of the World Test Championship.
