The sport of cricket has seen some outstanding rivalries; from legends of the game to arguably one of the most followed rivalries in world cricket, the match-up between Pakistan and England has provided fans with more than excitement over the last 70+ years. The conflict between Pakistan and England has existed through intense competition, unforgettable moments, and historic spell performances. In this blog, we explore the Pakistan national cricket team vs England cricket team timeline, and how the excitement and rivalry we see now has developed in the past.
Pakistan National Cricket Team vs England Cricket Team Timeline – 1954 to 2025
1. The Beginning: Pakistan’s First Tour to England (1954)
The rivalry commenced in 1954 when Pakistan, a relatively new cricketing nation, toured England for its very first time. Under the captaincy of Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Pakistan stunned the cricketing world with a victory over England at The Oval, giving them their first-ever Test victory in England.
For Pakistan, this was a landmark victory: Pakistan was the first Asian team to win a Test in England and it signified Pakistan’s entrance into international cricket. Fazal Mahmood’s bowling exploits (12 wickets in the match) also became legendary.
2. 1960s-70s: Competitive Match-ups and Developing Players
The 1960s and 1970s represented a period of more balanced competition between England and Pakistan.
While England was usually in the more favorable position at home, Pakistan put up a solid defence of their home turf.
- 1962: England beat Pakistan 4-0 in England.
- 1972-73: England toured Pakistan and tied the series 0-0, despite Pakistan having a much stronger bowling side.
- 1977-78: England toured Pakistan and the series tied 0-0 for the three matches. This time, there were signs of an improved batting contingent with players like Majid Khan and Zaheer Abbas entering the mix.
These decades were instrumental in creating one of the more balanced rivalries in Test cricket.
3. The 1980s: The Maturing of Pakistan’s ‘Fearsome Fast Bowlers’
The 1980s were a watershed decade for Pakistan. Thanks to Imran Khan’s captaincy, the emergence of Wasim Akram, his opening bowling partner Abdul Qadir, and their batting star Javed Miandad, Pakistan improved its record at home and took on the best sides abroad.
- 1982: England hosted Pakistan and won a 2-1 series. An excellent series win at home.
- 1984-87: Pakistan made several tours to England and began to stun English batsmen with their high-speed pace attack as they began to play in England regularly.
- 1987: Pakistan defeated England in England, in a 1-0 series that shows Pakistan’s rise in world cricket under an astute captain in Imran Khan.
By the end of the decade, the rivalry was established and flourished from there.
4. 1990s: Controversy, Drama, and Great Cricket
The 1990s would be the most controversial and exciting era of cricket between England and Pakistan. This period was dominated by ball tampering accusations, pitch issues and some fiery press conferences.
- 1992: As Pakistan toured England the atmosphere was electric. Pakistan went on to win the five match series 2-1 with Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis’ reverse swing bamboozling English batsmen.
- 1996: Pakistan again defeated England at their home, and England did not fare much better as they lost the series 2-0, unable to cope with the spin and the reverse swing.
This decade also saw the emergence of legends like Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq, and Shahid Afridi that strengthened Pakistan’s line-up.
5. 2000s: England’s Fightback and Balanced Rivalry
The 2000s gave way to some equilibrium in the rivalry. England began to understand the subcontinental conditions better, and Pakistan learned to perform better in England.
- 2001: England won a one-off Test against Pakistan at Lord’s.
- 2005-06: Pakistan put together an unforgettable home series under the captaincy of Inzamam-ul-Haq and won it 2-0.
- 2006: The Test during Pakistan’s tour of England had a scandalous episode at The Oval as Pakistan was accused of ball tampering, and eventually forfeited the match, making it the first occasion in Test history.
Despite the off-field theatrics, the matches continued to attract high viewership and deliver entertaining exhibitions.
6. The 2010s: A New Dawn in Cricket and Redemption
The 2010s commenced with scandals but ended with both teams on more equal footing in all three formats of the game- Test, ODI, and T20.
- 2010: Pakistan’s tour of England was marred by the spot-fixing scandal which brought about the bans of Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt.
- 2012 and 2016: Pakistan played home series against England in the UAE due to security issues in the country. In 2012, Pakistan whitewashed England 3-0 in Tests behind some stunning spin from Saeed Ajmal.
- 2015-16: England repaid the favour with remarkable ODI and T20 series wins.
This decade also gave rise to modern-day stars in the names of Joe Root, Babar Azam, Ben Stokes, and Yasir Shah.
7. 2020s: Modern-day Rivalry in all Formats
In the ongoing 2020s, we can see how both Pakistan and England have adapted to modern-day cricket, especially in white-ball forms of the game.
- 2020: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan visited England and played behind closed doors, England emerged victorious winning the Test series 1-0 but the T20 series finished 1-1.
- 2021: immensely disrupted white-ball tours for Pakistan due to COVID protocols and last-minute cancellations.
- 2022: England toured Pakistan for the first time in 17 years winning the seven-match T20I series 4-3 and followed it up with a phenomenal 3-0 whitewash in the Test series, delivered under the good captaincy of Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum’s “Bazball.”
This new chapter has included compelling cricketing contests and has rekindled some respect and rivalry between the two countries.
Pakistan tour of England 2024 – Fixtures & Results
1st Test
Date: Oct 07 (Mon) – Oct 11 (Fri)
Venue: Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan
Time: 10:30 AM IST / 05:00 AM GMT
Result: England won by an innings and 47 runs
2nd Test
Date: Oct 15 (Tue) – Oct 19 (Sat)
Venue: Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan
Time: 10:30 AM PST / 05:00 AM GMT
Result: Pakistan won by 152 runs
3rd Test
Date: Oct 24 (Thu) – Oct 28 (Mon)
Venue: Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi
Time: 10:30 AM PST / 05:00 AM GMT
Result: Pakistan won by 9 wickets
Pakistan vs England Head to Head Record
| Format | Matches | Pakistan Wins | England Wins | Draws/No Result |
| Tests | 92 | 23 | 30 | 39 (Draws) |
| ODIs | 92 | 32 | 57 | 3 (No Result) |
| T20Is | 31 | 9 | 21 | 1 (No Result) |
| Total | 215 | 64 | 108 | 43 |
Pakistan National Cricket Team vs England Cricket Team Timeline
Series Results: England vs Pakistan in Tests
| Year | Series/Tournament | Winner Team | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | England in Pakistan Test Series | Pakistan | 2-1 (3) |
| 2022/23 | England in Pakistan Test Series | England | 3-0 (3) |
| 2020 | Pakistan in England Test Series | England | 1-0 (3) |
| 2018 | Pakistan in England Test Series | drawn | 1-1 (2) |
| 2016 | Pakistan in England Test Series | drawn | 2-2 (4) |
| 2015/16 | Pakistan v England Test Series (in UAE) | Pakistan | 2-0 (3) |
| 2011/12 | Pakistan v England Test Series (in UAE) | Pakistan | 3-0 (3) |
| 2010 | Pakistan in England Test Series | England | 3-1 (4) |
| 2006 | Pakistan in England Test Series | England | 3-0 (4) |
| 2005/06 | England in Pakistan Test Series | Pakistan | 2-0 (3) |
| 2001 | Pakistan in England Test Series | drawn | 1-1 (2) |
| 2000/01 | England in Pakistan Test Series | England | 1-0 (3) |
| 1996 | Pakistan in England Test Series | Pakistan | 2-0 (3) |
| 1992 | Pakistan in England Test Series | Pakistan | 2-1 (5) |
| 1987/88 | England in Pakistan Test Series | Pakistan | 1-0 (3) |
| 1987 | Pakistan in England Test Series | Pakistan | 1-0 (5) |
| 1983/84 | England in Pakistan Test Series | Pakistan | 1-0 (3) |
| 1982 | Pakistan in England Test Series | England | 2-1 (3) |
| 1978 | Pakistan in England Test Series | England | 2-0 (3) |
| 1977/78 | England in Pakistan Test Series | drawn | 0-0 (3) |
| 1974 | Pakistan in England Test Series | drawn | 0-0 (3) |
| 1972/73 | England in Pakistan Test Series | drawn | 0-0 (3) |
| 1971 | Pakistan in England Test Series | England | 1-0 (3) |
| 1968/69 | England in Pakistan Test Series | drawn | 0-0 (3) |
| 1967 | Pakistan in England Test Series | England | 2-0 (3) |
| 1962 | Pakistan in England Test Series | England | 4-0 (5) |
| 1961/62 | England in Pakistan Test Series | England | 1-0 (3) |
| 1954 | Pakistan in England Test Series | drawn | 1-1 (4) |
Pakistan National Cricket Team vs England Cricket Team Match Scorecard
Conclusion
The Pakistan national cricket team and the England cricket team timeline is much more than just an accumulation of matches – it is a timeline of cricketing evolution, passions, and unforgettable drama. From Fazal Mahmood’s swing to Babar Azam’s elegance, reverse swing wars to a modern “Bazball”, there has always been something for all fans of cricket within this fixture.
Looking to the future, the Pakistan vs England rivalry will most likely intensify further, with ICC tournaments, franchise leagues, and congested bilateral calendars providing more opportunities for these two cricket giants to go head to head.
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