Pakistan vs Afghanistan: Head-to-Head, How to Watch & Match Hub
Every Pakistan vs Afghanistan cricket clash that matters — ODI and T20I head-to-head records, the famous finishes, the warm-up match guide and how to watch live in Pakistan.
Last updated: 11 October 2026
The Essentials
Pak vs Afg at a Glance
The rivalry in numbers.
Records
Pakistan vs Afghanistan Head-to-Head Record
Every format, every meeting — the complete Pak vs Afg record.
| Format | Matches | Pakistan won | Afghanistan won | First meeting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 8 | 7 | 1 | February 2012 |
| T20I | 7 | 4 | 3 | December 2013 (Sharjah) |
| Test | 0 | 0 | 0 | Never played |
| ODI World Cup | 2 | 1 | 1 | — |
The arc of this rivalry is Afghanistan’s rise. Pakistan won the early meetings comfortably — including the first ODI in 2012 — but Afghanistan’s spin attack and fearless batting have made every recent meeting a contest. The T20I ledger tells the story: after Pakistan took the early games, Afghanistan won a T20I series 2–1 in Sharjah in March 2023, and the overall T20I record now stands at a tight 4–3. In ODIs, Afghanistan’s only win remains the 2023 World Cup upset in Chennai — but what a win it was. The two countries have never met in Test cricket.
Classics
Famous Pakistan vs Afghanistan Matches
The finishes fans still talk about — and the upset that shocked the world.
Asif Ali’s four sixes
T20 World Cup, Dubai: Pakistan need 24 off 12; Asif Ali smashes four sixes off Karim Janat to win by 5 wickets. The rivalry goes global.
Naseem Shah’s sixes
Asia Cup, Sharjah: Pakistan need 11 off the last over with one wicket left; No. 10 Naseem Shah hits Fazalhaq Farooqi for two straight sixes — Pakistan win by 1 wicket in a finish for the ages.
ODI series whitewash
Sri Lanka, August: Pakistan sweep the 3-match ODI series 3–0 — including a 1-wicket thriller at Hambantota and a 142-run demolition.
The Chennai upset
World Cup, Chennai: Afghanistan chase 283 to beat Pakistan by 8 wickets — Gurbaz 65, Ibrahim Zadran 87, Rahmat Shah 77*. Afghanistan’s first-ever ODI win over Pakistan, and one of the great World Cup upsets.
Sharjah T20I series
March, Sharjah: Afghanistan win the T20I series 2–1 — their first bilateral series win over Pakistan in any format.
Tri-series response
UAE T20I Tri-Series, Sharjah: Pakistan beat Afghanistan by 39 runs (182/7 vs 143) — the most recent meeting, and a reminder of the gap Pakistan can still open.
Warm-Ups
Pakistan vs Afghanistan Warm-Up Matches Explained
What warm-up matches are, when these teams play them, and how to follow them.
If you searched for a “Pakistan vs Afghanistan warm-up match live”, here is the honest picture. Warm-up (practice) matches are the unofficial games teams play before ICC events like the World Cup or Asia Cup — used to test combinations and acclimatise, and they don’t count in official head-to-head records. Pakistan and Afghanistan don’t schedule standalone warm-ups against each other; they meet in warm-ups only when tournament organisers pair them before a World Cup. Their real meetings — the ones above — are what the rivalry is built on, and the next one will almost certainly come at an ICC event or a tri-series like the August 2025 UAE edition. Warm-ups are also not always televised: broadcasters prioritise the tournament proper, so check the PCB’s and ICC’s official schedules when a World Cup approaches rather than trusting random “live” links — many are fake streams. One more thing worth knowing: because warm-ups are unofficial, teams often agree relaxed rules — 13 or even 15 players a side can bat or bowl, retired batters can return, and results are never added to any record book. That freedom is precisely what makes them useful preparation — and precisely why bookmakers and record-keepers ignore them.
What they are
Unofficial practice games before ICC tournaments. Results don’t count toward rankings or head-to-head records.
When Pak play Afg
Only when drawn together in pre-tournament warm-ups — otherwise they meet in the tournament itself or tri-series.
How to follow
Check PCB and ICC official schedules near tournament time; beware fake “live” stream links.
Watch Live
How to Watch Pakistan vs Afghanistan Live
TV channels and streaming apps for fans in Pakistan.
| Platform | Type | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| PTV Sports | TV | Pakistan’s home matches and ICC events — the default free-to-air option |
| Ten Sports | TV | Major bilateral series and tournaments |
| Tamasha | Streaming app | Free mobile streaming of Pakistan matches — the easiest phone option |
| Tapmad | Streaming app | Subscription streaming with HD coverage |
Broadcast rights change between tournaments, so confirm the broadcaster a day or two before the match — the PCB announces TV and streaming partners with every series. For ICC events (World Cups, Champions Trophy), the ICC’s broadcast partners carry the games in Pakistan on the channels above. Our general guide covers every option in detail: Pak live match — how to watch Pakistan cricket live on TV & streaming. And for the biggest rivalry of all, see our India vs Pakistan cricket hub.
Fixtures
Next Pakistan vs Afghanistan Fixtures
When the rivalry resumes — the latest verified picture.
The most recent Pakistan vs Afghanistan meeting was the UAE T20I Tri-Series clash on 29 August 2025 in Sharjah, which Pakistan won by 39 runs. There is no bilateral series currently announced between the two sides — their meetings now come through ICC events and multi-team tournaments like tri-series. That is the modern pattern of this rivalry: no fixed calendar, but a near-guarantee of fireworks whenever tournament draws throw them together. This hub is updated whenever a new fixture is confirmed, so bookmark it before the next World Cup or Asia Cup cycle. The surest way to hear first: the PCB publishes Pakistan’s fixtures on its official website and social channels the moment series are agreed, and the ICC’s Future Tours Programme lays out the multi-year calendar of ICC events where these two most often collide. Broadcasters then confirm TV and streaming details a few weeks out — which is when our watch guide above becomes essential reading.
Players
Players Who Decide Pakistan vs Afghanistan
The match-winners on both sides — names to watch in the next meeting.
| Pakistan | Role | Afghanistan | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam | Batting anchor; Pakistan’s most consistent ODI batter | Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Explosive opener — 65 in the Chennai upset |
| Mohammad Rizwan | Wicketkeeper-batter; the chase specialist | Ibrahim Zadran | Top-order rock — 87 in the Chennai upset |
| Shaheen Afridi | New-ball spearhead; early wickets change everything | Rashid Khan | The world’s most famous leg-spinner; Pakistan’s nemesis |
| Naseem Shah | Death-overs hero — ask Fazalhaq Farooqi | Fazalhaq Farooqi | Left-arm seamer; at the centre of the 2022 finish |
| Haris Rauf | Raw pace in the middle overs | Mohammad Nabi | Veteran all-rounder; calm in tight chases |
The tactical battle is usually the same: Afghanistan’s spin (Rashid, Nabi, Noor Ahmad) against Pakistan’s pace (Shaheen, Naseem, Rauf), with both batting line-ups capable of chasing big totals — Chennai proved Afghanistan can hunt 283 against Pakistan’s attack. Squads change between tournaments, so check the PCB’s announced squad before each meeting; the names above are the core around which both teams have been built through 2025.
The Rivalry
Why Pakistan vs Afghanistan Matters
Neighbours, shared history and the most emotional fixture in Asian cricket.
Few rivalries carry this much feeling. Afghanistan’s cricket was raised in Pakistan — generations of Afghan players learned the game in refugee camps and clubs in Peshawar and Quetta, and Pakistan hosted Afghanistan’s early international fixtures. Afghan stars now light up the Pakistan Super League, cheered by Pakistani crowds who know their game. That shared history is exactly why the contests sting: Afghanistan’s players grew up idolising Pakistani cricket, and beating Pakistan — as in Chennai 2023 — is their ultimate statement. For Pakistan, these games are trap fixtures: expected to win, punished brutally for any slip, as the Asia Cup 2022 near-disaster showed. Add Sharjah’s cauldron atmosphere, where most of their T20Is have been played, and you get the most emotionally charged fixture in Asian cricket outside India-Pakistan.
FAQs
Pakistan vs Afghanistan: FAQs
The questions fans ask most — answered.
What is the Pakistan vs Afghanistan head-to-head record?
In ODIs: 8 matches, Pakistan 7, Afghanistan 1. In T20Is: 7 matches, Pakistan 4, Afghanistan 3. The teams have never played a Test. In ODI World Cups the record is 1–1.
How can I watch Pakistan vs Afghanistan live in Pakistan?
On TV: PTV Sports and Ten Sports. On mobile: the Tamasha app (free) and Tapmad (subscription). Confirm the broadcaster before each series, as rights change between tournaments.
Has Afghanistan ever beaten Pakistan in cricket?
Yes — four times: the famous 8-wicket win at the 2023 ODI World Cup in Chennai, plus T20I wins including the 2–1 series victory in Sharjah in March 2023.
When is the next Pakistan vs Afghanistan match?
No bilateral series is currently announced. The last meeting was the UAE T20I Tri-Series on 29 August 2025 (Pakistan won by 39 runs); the next clash will likely come at an ICC event or multi-team tournament.
What is a warm-up match in cricket?
An unofficial practice game played before ICC tournaments to test combinations and acclimatise. Warm-up results don’t count toward official records or rankings.
Where can I watch the warm-up match live streaming?
Warm-ups are not always televised — check the PCB’s and ICC’s official schedules near tournament time. When broadcast in Pakistan, they air on the same channels as the tournament (PTV Sports/Ten Sports, Tamasha/Tapmad). Beware fake “live” links.
More Pakistan Cricket Guides
Rivalries, players, rankings and how to watch — everything about Pakistan cricket.
Feature Pakistan’s cricket guides cover the game in plain language — written for fans, verified against ICC, PCB and official scorecards. Head-to-head records above are current as of October 2026. Featured image: Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore at night (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, photo by Younisjunejo).