There are few sporting fixtures globally that can compete with India vs Pakistan. It's a rivalry like no other, especially in cricket. When that fixture comes during the Cricket World Cup, it only heightens that even further, particularly when both sides have a real chance of winning the tournament.
The 2023 Cricket World Cup will provide an India-Pakistan clash for the ages. It's not only the biggest ODI tournament on the planet but will see the first match for a Pakistan ODI side in India for over a decade.
The game, which will be the third for both in the tournament, is set to be a nail-biting watch, and here are all the details on how you can watch it...
When is India vs Pakistan in the 2023 Cricket World Cup?
Getty ImagesThe game takes place on October 14 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, a venue Pakistan fans will remember fondly, having won by three wickets the last time they visited in 2003.
The teams are, of course, slightly different from then, with 134,000 expected to be packed into the ground to watch some of the world's most in-form players like Rohit Sharma, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Nawaz.
The Indian team will of course be favorites, as the host nation, so a win for arch-rivals Pakistan would be quite something. It's expected to be one of the most live-streamed events of the tournament, if not the year in sport, getting underway at 4:30 am ET (1:30 am PT).
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How can you watch the India vs Pakistan live match in the Cricket World Cup?
Getty ImagesThe ICC Cricket World Cup will be exclusively broadcast on Willow TV and ESPN+ in the USA, meaning you'll need to subscribe to either if you want to watch the match. There are a number of ways in which you can find live streaming for Willow TV and ESPN, with them not only available through their apps but the likes of SlingTV, DirecTV, and DISH too.
Both ESPN+ and Willow TV are priced at $9.99 per month, giving you access to India vs Pakistan and the rest of the tournament.
India vs Pakistan: Form going into the ICC Cricket World Cup
Getty ImagesBoth teams are expected to compete well in the World Cup this year, with conditions suiting them and both sides having some explosive players in their bowling and battling attacks.
The sides are currently number one (India) and two (Pakistan) in the world at present in the ODI rankings, although both struggled four years ago as England lifted the title.
While both sides have played warm up games in the build-up to the tournament, the best indicator of form is to look at the Asia Cup 2023, which took place throughout September, seeing India lift their eighth title.
Pakistan had a mixed tournament, winning just once in the Super Four, losing to both Sri Lanka and India, and bowled out for just 128 against the latter. However, individually, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan batted well and will look to carry that into the World Cup.
Shubman Gill proved to be in solid form for India, while Virat Kohli is built for such a stage, knocking 122* vs Pakistan, taking him to 13,000 runs in ODI cricket, and helping his nation secure their biggest-ever 50-over win against their rivals.
India vs Pakistan head-to-head
Going up against each other in the one day format, India have been in pretty dominant form, winning seven of the last 10, with one no result and two Pakistan wins, the last in 2017.
But while the Cricket World Cup hosts have dominated in the format for the last 15 years, Pakistan have a better record in ODIs against India, winning 73 of the 134 meetings, compared to India's 56.
Interestingly, the batting side have been the dominant outfit in recent years, winning five of the last seven (excluding one no-result in the Asia Cup 2023), meaning it could come down to the luck of the toss on October 14.
India vs Pakistan players to watch
Both sides have several match-winning players, and if the Asia Cup taught us anything, a number of them can deal with the pressure. And what pressure it will be with 135,000 screaming Indians in Ahmedabad.
Pakistan have the best batter in the world in the format at present in captain Babar Azam, while both Imam ul Haq and Fakhar Zaman sit in the ICC ODI top 10 rankings. Shubman Gill is second in the rankings and is joined by the iconic Virat Kohli, who has proven time and time again to be one of the best chasers to ever play the game.
With the ball, there's some excellent pace on both sides. Mohammad Siraj sits at the top of the rankings, despite subcontinent pitches being renowned for being difficult for the quicks, while Shaheen Afridi could also have a similar impact across the tournament.
Spin could prove instrumental though, and it could be an essential tournament for Kuldeep Yadav to make major breakthroughs.
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India vs Pakistan FAQs
Getty ImagesWhen was the last time the pair met at a Cricket World Cup?
Both teams met against each other in a thrilling game at the 2019 Cricket World Cup in England. The game was played at Old Trafford, with a packed house seeing India take an 89-run victory. The Indians were in imperial form with the bat. Current captain Rohit Sharma smashed 140 off just 113 balls, while then captain Virat Kohli hit a tidy 77 before being caught behind.
Zaman and Asam were the main batters for Pakistan, but it wasn't enough to get them over the line in a rain-affected group game.
Where is the Cricket World Cup taking place this year?
The ICC Cricket World Cup will return to India for the first time since 2011, when the nation shared hosting duties with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. That was also the last time the nation won the tournament, with the hosts winning the World Cup every tournament since then.
The competition will run from October 5 to November 19, with the final being staged in Ahmedabad, where India meets Pakistan.
How many times have India and Pakistan won the World Cup?
Both nations have won the Cricket World Cup, with India having lifted it twice and Pakistan once. India have won the tournament most recently, doing so in 2011 and prior to that in 1983. Pakistan's only success came in 1992.