The Asia Cup 2025 final in Dubai on Sunday (September 28) marks a significant milestone in the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry. For the first time in the tournament's 41-year history, the arch-rivals are meeting in a title showdown.
India have a perfect record in the Asia Cup 2025, having already beaten Pakistan twice in the group stage by seven wickets and Super Four by six wickets.
India's campaign has been led by Suryakumar Yadav, with standout performances from Abhishek Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy. Pakistan, captained by Salman Ali Agha, have relied on Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Nawaz, and Shaheen Afridi.
For over four decades, fans waited for an India vs Pakistan final in the Asia Cup. That wait ends this Sunday. But this isn't their first meeting in a multi-nation tournament title clash. It's in fact the 11th.
India Vs Pakistan In Finals - A Look Back
World Championship Of Cricket 1985 (ODI)
Played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 10, 1985, Pakistan batted first and were bowled out for 176, with Kapil Dev and Laxman Sivaramakrishnan claiming three wickets each.
India chased down the target comfortably, winning by eight wickets, with Kris Srikkanth scoring a fluent 67 and Ravi Shastri unbeaten on 68. This victory capped India's unbeaten run in the tournament, a one-off ODI event featuring all Test-playing nations.
All-rounder Shastri was named the "Champion of Champions" -- the Player of the Tournament in current parlance, and received an Audi 100 car, a prize that continues to evoke fond memories for Indian cricket fans.
Austral-Asia Cup 1986 (ODI)
This final at Sharjah, UAE, on April 18, 1986, remains iconic for Javed Miandad's last-ball six off Chetan Sharma. Chasing 246, Pakistan needed four off the final ball and Miandad delivered, sealing a one-wicket win.
The match featured strong performances from both sides, including from India's top three of Kris Srikkanth (75), Sunil Gavaskar (92) and Dilip Vengsarkar (50), but Miandad's century (116 off 114) under pressure became a defining moment in India-Pakistan cricket history.
Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka were other participating countries in the five-team event.
Wills Trophy 1991 (ODI)
The Wills Trophy in the United Arab Emirates was a tri-series featuring India, Pakistan and the West Indies. The Sharjah final, played on October 25, 1991, saw Pakistan dominate with the bat and ball. Zahid Fazal scored 98 before retiring hurt, and Saleem Malik added 87 as Pakistan posted 262/6.
India collapsed in the chase, bowled out for 190, with Aaqib Javed taking 7/37 -- then the best ODI bowling figures by a Pakistani. Pakistan won by 72 runs in a one-sided contest. Sanjay Manjrekar was the top scorer of the tournament with 272 runs.
Austral-Asia Cup 1994 (ODI)
The Austral-Asia Cup returned, and this time, the UAE replaced Bangladesh as one of the six teams. But the final remained an India vs Pakistan affair.
In the final held on April 22, 1994, Pakistan batted first and scored 250/7, with contributions from Saeed Anwar (47), Aamer Sohail (69), and Basit Ali (57). For India, Javagal Srinath and Rajesh Chauhan claimed three wickets each.
The chase faltered against Wasim Akram's incisive bowling, backed by part-time spinners Saleem Malik and Aamer Sohail. Despite Vinod Kambli's fighting 99-ball 56, India were bowled out for 211. Pakistan won by 39 runs, with Sohail winning both player of the match and tournament awards.
Silver Jubilee Independence Cup 1998 (ODI)
The tri-nation tournament, held as a celebration of 25 years of Bangladesh's independence, featured India, Pakistan and the hosts. The final itself was a best-of-three series between India and Pakistan. After sharing the honours in the two matches, the decider on January 18, 1998, saw India chase down 315 in a dramatic finish.
After Saeed Anwar (140) and Ijaz Ahmed (117) helped Pakistan post 314/5, Sourav Ganguly's 124 and Robin Singh's 82 ensured a three-wicket win for India. The match was reduced to 48 overs a side due to bad light. That Dhaka clash is remembered for its high-scoring at a time when 300 was considered well above par and tense final overs, with Hrishikesh Kanitkar sealing the win with a boundary off the penultimate delivery.
Pepsi Cup 1999 (ODI)
This tri-nation tournament featured India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The final on April 4, 1999, was played at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore.
Pakistan posted 292/9, with Inzamam-ul-Haq hitting a well-timed 91 off 112 after Shahid Afridi's 61-ball 65. The reply was derailed by Azhar Mahmood, who claimed 5/38, following the opening salvo from Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar against a Sachin Tendulkar-less hosts. India were dismissed for 169 with Ajay Jadeja top-scoring with 62-ball 41.
ICC T20 World Cup 2007 (T20I)
The inaugural ICC World Twenty20 culminated in a final between India and Pakistan at the New Wanderers Stadium on September 24, 2007. India posted 157/5, with Gautam Gambhir anchoring the innings with 75. Pakistan's chase unravelled soon, and from 2/1 in the first over, it became 77/6 in the 12th. But Misbah-ul-Haq held one end and almost pulled off a sensational win.
In the final over, Joginder Sharma defended 13 runs with Misbah, the last wicket to fall, caught at S Sreesanth at short fine-leg. India won by five runs, securing the first-ever T20 World Cup title. Irfan Pathan's 3/16 earned him the Player of the Match award.
ICC Champions Trophy 2017 (ODI)
The final at the Oval on June 18, 2017, saw Pakistan produce a dominant performance. Asked to set a target, they scored 338/4, with Fakhar Zaman hitting 114.
India's chase never got going, as Mohammad Amir removed Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shikhar Dhawan early. India were bowled out for 158, handing Pakistan a 180-run win -- their biggest in an ICC final.
Across these 10 multi-nation tournament finals, Pakistan lead with seven wins to India's 3. The Asia Cup 2025 final offers India an opportunity to narrow the gap in summit clashes.
