The 1990s and early 2000s marked the golden era of the India–Pakistan cricket rivalry, where every battle between both teams used to be intensely competitive. At that time, Pakistan were a formidable opponent, hugely capable of giving India a tough challenge. It was an era defined by high-voltage drama and individual brilliance. Pakistan’s fearsome pace trio, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Shoaib Akhtar alongside off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, made the India vs Pakistan showdown eye-catching. 

On the other hand, India's batting giants like Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag relished the challenge and gave Pakistan a tough fight. Shoaib Akhtar, famously dubbed the “Rawalpindi Express", remains the fastest bowler Pakistan has produced, and his duels with Tendulkar and Sehwag presented the crux of the rivalry. 

However, Tendulkar and Sehwag dominated him on several occasions. Still, Akhtar had his moments at times. Years after retiring, Akhtar opened up about Pakistan’s tour of India in 1998-99, where he and Saqlain Mushtaq took pills to reduce the knee pain in order to play against India.

"When Saqlain got over 10 wickets - in Chennai and in Delhi too - Saqlain and I used to bet about Sachin's wickets. He said he would get Sachin out. I said I would get him - that's what I had been doing. I said, 'No, I'll do it this time, it's my turn,'" Akhtar said during a Pakistani cricket show.

"My knees were swollen as the area was filled with fluid. His knees had gone in 1996, and mine gave way in 1997 in front of him. And now both of us secretly used to take pills and injections just to be able to play the match. Had any senior known this, they would have thrown out Saqlain. I was anyway on their target," he said.

Even today, the rivalry between both teams remains fierce, but the balance of power and momentum has shifted in India’s favour as they have dominated Pakistan in recent years. Notably, India and Pakistan don't play bilateral series, making each global encounter a blockbuster showdown.