7 greatest cricket rivalries of the last decade

Cricket rivalry is a topicthat everyone loves, as being a fan is all about choosing a side.There are always fans debating about two teams and picking up sides.India vPakistan rivalry,for instance,is the most classic example. It always keeps the crowd divided. It is also the most heated feudalong with Australia vEngland. Whilethe Ashes classicshaveretained theircharm, the lack of enough India-Pakistan matches has put this rivalry down in the pecking order.True, there's still the usual buzz around any India-Pakistan match, but the two teams don't faceeach other oftentocreate enough individual rivalries, which this contest usually thriveson. Remember Sachin Tendulkar vShoaib Akhtar?Let us now have alook at the7 great rivalries of the last decade:

#7 New Zealand v Sri Lanka

This is one rivalry that the world seldom talks about. Let it be ODIs, T20s or Tests, these teams’ win-loss record against each other is amusing.

Over the last 10 years, these two sides, blessed with champion players, have provided some of the greatest games in all formats.

Last time these two sides met against each other during the fall of 2013, the ODI series ended in a 1-1 draw while the home side – Sri Lanka - won the T20 battle 1-0.

Since 2005,

Tests played- 10SL Won- 4, NZ won- 5Drawn- 1ODIs Played- 34SL Won- 16, NZ Won- 13No Result- 5

T20s played- 13,NZ Won- 5, SL Won-6No Result- 1, Tie- 1

Notable Encounters

Test- SL vs NZ, Christchurch, Dec 7-9, 2006 (SL-154&170, NZ-206 &119/5; NZ won by 5 wickets)ODI- SL vs NZ, ICC Champions Trophy, Cardiff, June 9 2013 (SL-138/10, NZ-139/9; NZ won by 1 wicket)T20- SL vs NZ, ICC World T20, Pallekele, September 27 2012 (NZ-174/7, SL-174/6; Match Tied, SL won the eliminator)

#6 India v Sri Lanka

These neighbours have become the busiest competitors over the last decade. They have played together to an extent that Indian batsman now treat Lasith Malinga like just another bowler.

India defeated Sri Lanka in the 2011 ODI World Cup final at Mumbai, while Sri Lanka took the 2014 World T20 title home by beating India at Dhaka this march.

Since 2005,

Tests played- 12India Won- 6, SL won- 3Drawn- 3ODIs Played-70India Won- 42, SL Won- 23No result- 4, Tied- 1T20I played- 6India Won-3, SL won-3Notable Encounters

Test- SL Vs India, Colombo, July 26-30, 2010 (SL-642/4 &129/3, India-707; Match Drawn)ODI- India Vs SL, Mumbai, final, WC 2011, April 2, (SL-274/6, India-277/4; India Won by 6 wickets to regain the title after 28 years)T20- SL Vs India, Dhaka, final, World T20, April 6 2014 (India- 130/4, SL-134/4 ; SL Won by 6 wickets to win the T20 title)

#5 India v England

India v England always brings up some great memories. Their ODI battles over the years have been enthralling. Let it be the 2002 Natwest final or the World Cup bouts of 2003 and 2011, these two teams have proved that they don’t give up easily.

Their T20 rivalry is something to cherish; in their very first T20 encounter, Yuvraj Singh hit 6 sixes in one over of Stuart Broad, in 2007 World T20.Both the teams compete against each other in Tests for the prestigious Pataudi Trophy. In 2007, India created history by winning a Test series on English soil after 21 years. England made sure they gave India a pounding the next time they locked horns with each other, by whitewashing them 4-0 in 2011.

Set to tour England again next month, India will look to put aside the haunting memories of the last outing and start afresh. Since 2005

Tests Played- 21Eng Won- 10, India Won- 5Drawn- 6

ODIs Played- 42Eng Won- 13, India Won- 26No result-1, Tied-2

T20s Played-8Eng Won- 5, India Won- 3Notable Encounters

Test- Eng Vs India, 3rd test, Pataudi Trophy, Lord’s, August 9-13, 2007 (India 664& 180/6, Eng 345& 369/6;Target 500; Match Drawn)

ODI- India Vs England, World Cup 2011, Bangalore, February 27 2011 (India338, England 338/8; Match Tied)

T20- India Vs England, World T20 2007, Durban, September 19 2007 (India218/4, Eng200/6; India Won by 18 runs, Yuvraj hits 6 sixes in Broad’s over)

#4 England v Australia

A rejuvenated England side under Andrew Strauss, the seeds for which were shown under the leaderships of Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan, dominated Australia in the Ashes series, winning it three consecutive times in 2009, 2011 and 2013, before returning the urn back to the Kangaroos in the return leg of the series.

This year saw a new dawn for the Aussies, though. Mitchell Johnson led Australia to regain the coveted trophy 5-0.

Their T20 and ODI battles have become more intense than ever with both sides now standing parallel in terms of strength and power.

The recently concluded ODI series in January saw Australia beating England 4-1 in their home soilSince 2005

Tests Played-30Aus Won- 13, Eng Won-10Drawn- 7

ODIs Played-53Eng Won- 17, Aus Won-33Tied- 1, NR- 2

T20s Played-12Aus Won- 7, Eng Won-4NR-1Notable Encounters-Test - Aus Vs Eng, The Ashes 2013, Nottingham, July 10-14 2013( Eng 215&375, Aus 280&296; Eng Won by 14 runs)ODI – Aus Vs Eng, Adelaide, 26th January 2014, (Aus-217/9, Eng-212/10; Australia won by 5 runs)T20 - Aus Vs Eng, Adelaide, 12 January 2011 (Aus-157/4, Eng-158/9; England won by 1 wicket)

#3 Pakistan v Sri Lanka

Over the last decade, these two Asian countrieshave faced each other multiple times all around the word,and,every time, the matches have been closely fought.

Pakistan,known for their impulsive style, find inSri Lanka aclinical unitdepending moreon methodicalcricket.

Sri Lanka was the first country who tried to encourage teams to tour Pakistan, when Pakistan was deemed unfit to host international matches due toterrorist threats. Theywerebrave enough to send their players, but the tour ended abruptlywhen the bus carrying Lankan players was attacked by militants in 2009, just ahead of amatch atLahore.

Quite a fewLankan players including MahelaJayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera were injured, but they would have considered themselves lucky toget out the country alive.

Despite the bitter memories of the tour, the two nations have continued to play at other venues,churningout memorablegames.

Last time they met in UAE, the three Test series ended in a 1-1 draw.

Since 2004,

Tests Played- 18Pak won- 4, SL won- 5, Drawn- 9ODIs played- 40Pak won-20, SL won-19, NR-1T20s Played-12Pak won-7, SL won-5Notable EncountersTest- SL Vs Pak, Galle, 4-8 July 2009 (SL-242 & 217, Pak-342&117; SL won by 50 runs, Sangakkaras first win as captain)ODI- SL Vs Pak, Sharjah, December 18 2013 (Pakistan322/5, SL-311/10; Pak won by 11 runs)T20- SL Vs Pak, Dubai, December 13 2013 (Pak-211/3, SL-187/10; Pak won by 24 runs)

#2 India v Australia

Since the 2001 Border-Gavaskar trophy, which saw India breaking the Aussie monopoly in world cricket, every time these two teams meet, the expectations soar high.

India have challenged the Australian supremacy time and again. Former Indian middle order batsman VVS Laxman has his entire legacy penned out of this feud.

It’s not been free from controversies, either. In 2008, Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds were involved in the infamous ‘monkey-gate incident’, where the former was accused of referring to the Australian all-rounder as a ‘monkey’.

Whether it is the ODIs, Tests or, the flavour of the era, T20s, whenever these two teams meet, you know it’s not going to be a drab affair.

For India, a tour Down Under is the ultimate acid test, while Australians consider it a matter of pride to win a series in the subcontinent. Last time when India played Australia at home, the visitors were handed a humiliating 4-0 series defeat.

Since 2005,

Tests played- 22Aus Won- 8, India Won- 9, Match Drawn- 5ODIs Played-38Aus Won-29, India Won- 13, NR- 6T20s Played- 9

Aus Won-4, India won-5Notable Encounters-Test-Aus Vs India,1st test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Mohali, October 1-5 2010(Aus-428& 192, India-405& 216/9; India won by 1 wicket)ODI- Aus Vs India, 2nd final CB series, Brisbane, March 4 2008,(India 258/9, Aus-249/10; India won by 9 runs)T20-Aus vs India, Semifinal,WorldT20, Durban, September 22 2007 (India 188/5, Aus-173/7; India won by 15 runs)

#1 South Africa v Australia

If there is one rivalry that can beat India v Australia, it’s the Proteas v the Kangaroos; emotions run high when the two champion sides collide.

In 2008, South Africa became the first team to win a Test series in Australia since 1992, by winning the 4 match series 2-1.

Both the cricketing giants relish getting the better of each other. Over the last five years, they have produced some vintage Test matches, a few epic ODIs and nail biting T20s.

During the first Test of 2011/12 Sunfoil Test series at Cape Town, Dale Steyn wreaked havoc against Australia, dismissing the mighty Kangaroos for a paltry 47 in their second innings; South Africa had earlier collapsed for a mere 96. It was Australia’s lowest total in over half a century.

South Africans have proved to be the Kryptonite for the Aussie Superman status, always demanding the best out of the team from Down Under to get past them.Since 2004,Tests Played-20Aus Won- 11, SA Won- 6, Match Drawn- 3

ODIs Played-32Aus Won-17, SA Won-15

T20s played-14Aus Won-9, SA Won-5

Notable EncountersTest- Aus Vs SA, 1st Test, Sun Foil Test series, Cape Town, November 9-11, 2011(Aus- 284 & 47, SA-96&236/2; SA Won by 8 wickets)ODI- Aus Vs SA, Johannesburg, 12 March 2006 (Aus- 434/4, SA-438/9; SA Won by 1 wicket)T20- Aus Vs SA, Johannesburg, February 24 2006 (SA- 201/ 4, Aus-199/7; SA Won by 2 runs)