In Afghanistan, sporting contests against Pakistan are followed intensely.[1][2][3] The rivalry, stemming from geopolitical and cultural ties between the two states, has been compared in some aspects to the more longstanding, traditional archrivalry between India and Pakistan in sports.[2]
The two countries share a long and porous international border dating back to the 19th century, with a history of immigration and economic relations. People on both sides of the border, primarily the Pashtuns, share ethnic and cultural ties.[2] However, at a political level, relations between both governments in the past have often been characterised as frosty, thus paving the way for a competitive rivalry in sporting encounters in recent times.[1][4]
Olympics
Afghanistan made its first appearance at the Summer Olympics in 1936, while Pakistan's first appearance was in 1948.[5][6] Pakistan have won ten Olympic medals since 1956, including three golds.[6] Afghanistan have won two bronze medals, in 2008 and 2012, with The Guardian reporting that there was "elation that Afghanistan had bettered" their medal tally against Pakistan in the 2012 games.[7]
Several future cricketers representing Afghanistan emerged from Peshawar's club cricket scene, establishing an Afghan cricket club to compete against other local Pakistani sides in the 1990s.[13] Afghanistan fielded their cricket team in Pakistan's domestic setup for the first time in the 2001–02 season, participating in the second division of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy where they drew two and lost three of their five games.[14][15] They returned for the Cornelius Trophy in the 2002–03 season, drawing one and losing three matches.[16] In the 2003–04 season, they made an appearance in the PCB's inter-district tournament in Peshawar, where they registered their lone victory against Swabi, drew twice and lost two matches.[15][17]
The Afghanistan national team was coached by former Pakistani cricketers Kabir Khan and Rashid Latif in its initial years.[1][12] During this period, a number of Afghan international cricketers made appearances for Pakistani domestic outfits in the first-class circuit.[2][18][19] In 2010, Afghanistan competed at the Asian Games, a non-ICC T20 event hosted by China, where they defeated a second-string Pakistan side by 22 runs in the semi-finals in what was considered an upset.[20] In May 2011, the Afghan side embarked on a tour of Pakistan to partake in a three-match limited overs series against Pakistan A, where they were whitewashed by the home side 3–0.[21][18] They followed this up with another tour in September to participate in Pakistan's domestic National T20 Cup in Karachi as the Afghan Cheetahs, but had another poor outing, losing all three of their matches.[22]
In February 2013, Afghanistan visited Pakistan to play a series of limited-overs matches against the Pakistan A team and some regional sides. They played five one-dayers and a Twenty20 at three venues around the country. They won their first limited overs game against Hyderabad–Karachi by nine wickets,[26] but lost their matches against Bahawalpur–Multan and Faisalabad–Rawalpindi. In their matches against Pakistan A, they were clean sweeped by the Pakistani side 2–0 in the one day series and 1–0 in the T20 series.[27] In March, the PCB and ACB inked a two-year memorandum of understanding allowing Afghanistan to use Pakistan's cricket facilities such as the National Cricket Academy and seek technical assistance for the purpose of further developing Afghan cricket.[18] Later in December that year, Pakistan and Afghanistan faced each other in a one-off T20I in Sharjah, where Pakistan prevailed with a six wicket victory with a ball to spare.[28] Since then, the two sides have clashed in the ODI and T20I formats on multiple occasions. In World Cup 2023 Afghanistan beat Pakistan in a match played on October 23, 2023. Ibrahim Zadran, who was awarded player of the match award, dedicated the win to “people who are sent from Pakistan back home to Afghanistan”. His statement was considered controversial especially from Pakistan side amid the decision from Pakistan to deport all illegal Afghan citizens.[29]
In Asian Cricket Council (ACC) tournaments, both sides have met on five occasions. Pakistan have won on three occasions, while Afghanistan have won two games.[34]
The national teams of Pakistan and Afghanistan have competed against each other in association football on six occasions in history; twice in the SAFF Championship and five times in international friendlies. Pakistan have dominated the match-ups, winning four of these games, while Afghanistan have won two games.[51][52][53] Both teams first met at the 1976 Afghanistan Republic Day Festival Cup, where the A team of Afghanistan won by 1–0.[54][55] Both teams met again at the 1976 Quaid-e-Azam International Cup the same year where Pakistan won the match by the same score.[56] Contests against Pakistan generate much enthusiasm amongst Afghan football fans on account of their mutual relations and have been referred to as a "rivalry",[57] although the interest in Pakistan toward the rivalry in general is more muted.[58]
Afghanistan and Pakistan have been drawn in Group E of the third round of qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup.
^Graham-Harrison, Emma (14 August 2012). "Afghanistan unites behind Olympic success – and beating Pakistan". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2022. Two weeks of competition brought the glory of the country's second ever medal, dashed hopes of a third, triumph in getting one over on its powerful neighbour Pakistan, and anger over the role of an old enemy – corruption... There was also elation that Afghanistan had bettered their richer and more powerful neighbour Pakistan, which has long been resented for interference in Afghan affairs.
