Many of the most famous names in the history of cricket have taken part in a new documentary, The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan, that's just landed on Netflix.
The three-part series, added on Friday, February 7, interviews true greats from the Indian and Pakistan cricket teams as they examine each country's cricketing history.
It's perfect timing as India and Pakistan, who rarely play against each other due to the political climate, will face each other in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on Sunday, February 23. Read on for more info about the documentary series, including the great names who feature and some of the stories they tell.
What is The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan about?
The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan tells the story of their cricketing fortunes and why the matches mean so much. Legendary Indian batsman Virender Sehwag says: "An India-Pakistan match is more than a bat-and-ball game. It’s much bigger than that." Pakistan’s wonderful fast bowler Waqar Younis says. "Pakistan-India's rivalry I'll put right at the top. There's no match. It’s very simple. There is no match when India-Pakistan plays.”
Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin declares that he thinks it’s the biggest rivalry in the game, even bigger than the Ashes. One of Pakistan's most famous ever players, Javed Miandad adds: "In the matches that take place, between India and Pakistan, the pressure comes from the public."
The official Netflix synopsis reads: "From untold stories of the first India-Pakistan ODI to legends like Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly. Sunil Gavaskar, and Shoaib Akhtar spilling secrets, this series is a thrilling entertainment package with surprise appearances! Enjoy a front-row seat to history, or as Virender Sehwag would say, 'Jab bhi Bharat Pakistan ka Muqabala hota hai, yeh battle hoti hai — war hoti hai ground ke andar jo dono teams jeetna chahti hai.’ ('Whenever India and Pakistan play, it is a battle — a war on the ground that both teams want to win.’)"
The opening episode explores why the game is so big in India and Pakistan. Indian great Sourav Ganguly recalls being inspired by India’s shock 1983 win over the West Indies. "As soon as India won, we rushed out onto the streets. Waving flags. It was raining heavily that night. To win the World Cup was a miraculous feat for India at the time. And that World Cup in 83 actually created heroes and took a lot of young players like me, Sachin [Tendulkar], I’m sure Rahul, to take up the game and take it up as a career."
Ramiz Raja, who played in Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup final winning match against England, recalls how that was a pivotal moment. "We had not felt a moment like that in our entire cricket career. And when we were landing at Lahore Airport, we then felt the enormity of what we have achieved because there was 10,000 to 15,000 people."
The documentary explores how sadly the political tension between the two nations has meant they so rarely play each other. But the one thing that does is to ensure when they do play each other it’s a massive event.
What do we say about The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan?
If you're an Indian or Pakistan cricket fan it's a must-watch. And actually, if you love cricket, it's a must especially if you fondly remember the 1990s and 2000s period of the game. The makers have managed to interview most of the crucial players from that time and the old footage of the classic matches is an added bonus.
Check out our best shows on Netflix guide for more series to enjoy.
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