India and Pakistan may share one of the fiercest rivalries in world cricket, but across county cricket in England, national boundaries have often blurred. Over the decades, several Indian and Pakistani cricketers have shared dressing rooms, played as teammates, and forged friendships on English soil. Here are six notable instances where players from the subcontinent’s biggest rivals came together for county teams.
1. Bishan Singh Bedi & Mushtaq Mohammad / Sarfraz Nawaz – Northamptonshire, 1970s
From 1960/61 to 1978/79, political tensions kept India and Pakistan away from bilateral series. Yet, during this period, some of their best players were teammates in county cricket.
- Mushtaq Mohammad, Pakistan’s legendary all-rounder and reverse-sweep innovator, became a mainstay at Northamptonshire in the early 1970s.
- Bishan Singh Bedi, one of India’s finest left-arm spinners, joined the same team in 1972. Together, they played until 1977.
- Sarfraz Nawaz, another Pakistani great, played for Northants in 1971–72 and again from 1974, overlapping with both Bedi and Mushtaq. Interestingly, English batter Roger Prideaux discovered Sarfraz’s reverse swing talent on a Pakistan tour and helped him land the county contract.
Although Kapil Dev joined Northants in 1981–82, he never featured in the same XI as Sarfraz.
2. Zaheer Khan & Azhar Mahmood – Surrey, 2004
Before rising to international prominence with Worcestershire, Zaheer Khan made a single appearance for Surrey in 2003. Though his contribution was minimal, it was notable as he played alongside Azhar Mahmood, a seasoned Pakistani all-rounder and key figure in Surrey’s squad.
3. Harbhajan Singh & Azhar Mahmood / Mohammad Akram – Surrey, 2005
In 2005, Surrey signed both Harbhajan Singh and Mohammad Akram, with Azhar Mahmood already an established presence. Harbhajan played five games that year, partnering with either Akram or Mahmood—but never both together. When Harbhajan returned for another stint in 2007, neither Pakistani cricketer featured.
4. Anil Kumble & Azhar Mahmood / Mohammad Akram – Surrey, 2006
Between Harbhajan’s two stints, Anil Kumble had a short County Championship run with Surrey in 2006. A former Northamptonshire ace, Kumble appeared in three matches that season, featuring alongside both Azhar Mahmood and Mohammad Akram.
Although Saqlain Mushtaq had a long-standing Surrey career, he never played alongside these three Indian legends.
5. Cheteshwar Pujara & Mohammad Rizwan – Sussex, 2022
In 2022, Cheteshwar Pujara delivered a prolific season with Sussex, scoring 1,094 runs at a staggering average of 109.40. His form earned him a brief return to the Indian Test squad and eventually the Sussex captaincy. He shared the field with Mohammad Rizwan, Pakistan’s star wicketkeeper-batter, in four matches that season.
Faheem Ashraf also played three matches for Sussex in 2022, though Pujara did not feature in those.
6. Ishan Kishan & Mohammad Abbas – Nottinghamshire, 2025
In 2025, Ishan Kishan, aiming for a national team comeback, joined Nottinghamshire. He was paired with Mohammad Abbas, the veteran Pakistani pacer who moved to the county after a successful run with Hampshire. This ongoing season marks a rare current-day instance of India-Pakistan teammates in county cricket.