Cricket's largest rivalry takes center stage, and millions of eyes are on the game. For a match involving India and Pakistan, the stakes are invariably high, as nations build empires of expectations around the outcome. While many a tight contest has been fought out in the group stages, it is in the knockout rounds that the real drama unfolds, as teams battle it out for glory and pride.
India's record against Pakistan in finals is hardly a disappointment, with their last loss to their bitter rivals coming way back in 2017 in the Champions Trophy.
Here are 5 memorable finals where India came out on top against Pakistan to lift the trophy.
2. Asia Cup 2025: The Comeback from the Brink
For all their matches over the decades, India and Pakistan had never clashed in an Asia Cup final until 2025 in the United Arab Emirates. Having topped their rivals twice before in the tournament, India looked like they would extend their dominance before the final threw up a surprise.
The Men in Blue stumbled early, at 20 for 3 in the fifth over when chasing a modest 147, but a composed unbeaten knock of 69 by Tilak Varma, with cameos from Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube, rescued the innings with two balls to spare.
3. T20 World Cup 2007: The Making of a Legend
Ask any cricket fan what the greatest India-Pakistan final was and without hesitation they will say Johannesburg, 2007. India, who made 157 for 5, seemed poised to win the inaugural T20 World Cup summit clash when Pakistan were 77 for 6 in the 12th over.
Just when it seemed India's luck was turning, a Misbah-ul-Haq storm threatened to turn the game around. His heroics saw him take the game to the final over before his ill-fated scoop shot off Joginder Sharma, which found Sreesanth at short fine leg, sparked wild celebrations and created a legend.
4. Benson and Hedges World Championship 1985: The Melbourne Masterclass
Long before the T20 era, the two cricket giants met in the final of the Benson and Hedges World Championship in Melbourne. Sunil Gavaskar's troops were in rampant form from the word go.
Kapil Dev and Laxman Sivaramakrishnan tore through the Pakistani batting lineup, limiting them to a modest 176 for 9. In reply, Ravi Shastri and K. Srikkanth set the platform by forging a 103-run opening partnership, before India, with 17 balls and eight wickets remaining, easily bettered the total.
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5. 1998 Silver Jubilee Independence Cup: The Dhaka Miracle
Although not an official global ICC event, the 1998 final series in Dhaka has entered folklore for the 'best-of-three' drama that ensued. Having drawn the first two matches, it was all down to a do-or-die third match to decide the winner.
Pakistan made a mammoth 314 for 5, a target that India had never chased and succeeded in an ODI. Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly led the charge with a bright opening stand, but it was Ganguly who made the bigger contribution with a magnificent 124 as India chased down their target in the space of one ball to spare.
From the tactical battles of the 1980s to the modern-day boundary fests, whenever India and Pakistan meet it seems that the toss is always turning the game towards a dramatic finish.