India vs Pakistan has always been cricket’s fiercest rivalry. Across 210 matches, the stakes are always high, but tournament finals between these two giants are rare. In the last 40 years, they’ve clashed in only five major finals. Ahead of the first-ever Asia Cup final between the sides, let’s relive these iconic encounters.
1. 1985 World Championship of Cricket, Melbourne
India dominated Pakistan at the MCG in front of 50,000 fans. Pakistan crawled to 176/9, with Kapil Dev and Laxman Sivaramakrishnan taking three wickets each.
Kris Srikkanth smashed 67, and Ravi Shastri hit an unbeaten 63 to seal an eight-wicket win. Shastri also took home the “Champion of Champions” title — and an iconic Audi car.
2. 1986 Austral-Asia Cup, Sharjah
This match became cricket folklore. Sunil Gavaskar (92), Srikkanth (75), and Dilip Vengsarkar (50) powered India to 245/7.
But the day belonged to Javed Miandad. With Pakistan needing four off the last ball, he hit Chetan Sharma for a six over midwicket to finish on 116*. That moment flipped the psychological balance of India-Pakistan cricket for years.
3. 1994 Austral-Asia Cup, Sharjah
Saeed Anwar (47) and Aamer Sohail (69) set the tone as Pakistan posted 250. Despite Sachin Tendulkar and Navjot Sidhu’s brisk 59-run stand, India faltered. Atul Bedade tried to revive the chase with 44 off 45 but Pakistan’s bowling held firm. Sohail earned the Player of the Match award for his all-round show.
4. 2007 ICC World T20 Final, Johannesburg
The first-ever T20 World Cup had a dream finish — India vs Pakistan at The Wanderers. Gautam Gambhir anchored India with 75 off 54. Young Rohit Sharma added 30 off 16 to push India to 157/5.
Pakistan fought back through Misbah-ul-Haq, who brought it down to 13 off six balls. But his scoop off Joginder Sharma landed in Sreesanth’s hands, sealing India’s five-run win. This was the night MS Dhoni’s young team launched a T20 revolution.
5. 2017 ICC Champions Trophy Final, London
Pakistan entered as underdogs but delivered one of their greatest wins. Fakhar Zaman smashed 114 off 106 balls after a reprieve from a no-ball. Pakistan posted a massive 338/4.
Then came Mohammad Amir’s dream spell. He dismissed Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shikhar Dhawan in a fiery burst. India folded for 158 as Hasan Ali and Shadab Khan cleaned up the tail. Pakistan’s 180-run victory was the biggest margin in an ICC men’s tournament final.
Why These Matches Matter
These five finals showcase the drama, passion, and unpredictability of India vs Pakistan cricket. From Miandad’s last-ball six to Dhoni’s T20 triumph and Fakhar Zaman’s fearless hundred, these games are etched in cricketing history.
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