Pakistan booked their place in the 2025 Asia Cup final after defeating Bangladesh, while India qualified for the title clash on Wednesday. The arch-rivals will now meet in the Asia Cup final on September 28 in Dubai. Notably, India defeated Pakistan in both the group and Super 4 stages of the tournament.
This will be the 13th time India and Pakistan face off in a final of an international tournament or tri-series. In the previous 12 such encounters, Pakistan has won 8 times, while India has managed just 4 victories. The last time they met in a title clash was the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy final, where Pakistan triumphed. India’s most recent win in a final against Pakistan dates back to the 2007 T20 World Cup under MS Dhoni’s captaincy.
Record in tournament finals
- 11 ODI finals: Pakistan leads 8–3
- T20 finals: India leads 1–0 (2007 World T20 final)
A look back at the 12 India–Pakistan finals so far
Final 1 (1985, World Championship of Cricket, Melbourne): India won by 8 wickets, with Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Ravi Shastri scoring fifties. Shastri was named Player of the Tournament.
Final 2 (1986, Austral-Asia Cup, Sharjah): Javed Miandad’s last-ball six off Chetan Sharma gave Pakistan a famous 1-wicket win. Miandad scored 116 and was named Player of the Match.
Final 3 (1991, Wills Trophy, Sharjah): Aaqib Javed’s fiery spell (7/37) bowled India out for 190, handing Pakistan a 72-run victory.
Final 4 (1994, Austral-Asia Cup, Sharjah): Aamir Sohail starred with both bat and ball as Pakistan beat India by 39 runs.
Final 5 (1998, Independence Cup, Dhaka): A unique three-match final saw India clinch the series 2–1, with Sachin Tendulkar named Player of the Series.
Final 6 (1999, Pepsi Cup, Bangalore): Azhar Mahmood’s 5/38 helped Pakistan crush India by 123 runs.
Here’s the translated table in English from your uploaded image:
Asia Cup Titles – India and Pakistan
| Year | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | India | Sri Lanka |
| 1988 | India | Sri Lanka |
| 1990 | India | Sri Lanka |
| 1995 | India | Sri Lanka |
| 2000 | Pakistan | Sri Lanka |
| 2010 | India | Sri Lanka |
| 2012 | Pakistan | Bangladesh |
| 2016 | India | Bangladesh |
| 2018 | India | Bangladesh |
| 2023 | India | Sri Lanka |
Final 6: Azhar Mahmood takes 5 in the Pepsi Cup
The Pepsi Cup final was played in Bangalore on April 4, 1999. Batting first, Pakistan posted 291 runs. In reply, India collapsed to 168, as Azhar Mahmood’s fiery spell (5/38) sealed a comfortable 123-run win.
The Pepsi Cup was a tri-series featuring Sri Lanka. India managed only two wins against Sri Lanka in the group stage, while Pakistan defeated India both in the league phase and in the final. Sourav Ganguly, with 278 runs, was named Player of the Series.
Final 7: Pakistan dominates in the Coca-Cola Cup
Just 12 days later, on April 16, 1999, India and Pakistan met again in the Coca-Cola Cup final in Sharjah. India was bowled out cheaply for 125, with Wasim Akram taking 3/11. Pakistan chased down the target in just 28 overs with eight wickets in hand.
The Coca-Cola Cup also featured England. India and Pakistan won one game each against each other in the group stage, while India beat England twice to qualify. Wasim Akram’s 11 wickets in the tournament earned him the Player of the Series award.
Final 8: India lifts the inaugural T20 World Cup
On September 24, 2007, the two rivals met in the final of the first-ever T20 World Cup in Johannesburg. Batting first, India scored 157/5, thanks to Gautam Gambhir’s brilliant 75. Pakistan fell just short, bowled out for 152 with three balls to spare, handing India a famous 5-run win.
Earlier in the group stage, their match ended in a tie, with India winning via bowl-out. In the semi-finals, India defeated Australia while Pakistan overcame New Zealand. Despite Pakistan’s loss in the final, Shahid Afridi was named Player of the Tournament.
Final 9: Younis Khan’s century powers Pakistan in the Kitply Cup
On June 14, 2008, the Kitply Cup final in Mirpur saw Pakistan outplay India. Batting first, Pakistan posted 315/3, with Salman Butt (129) and Younis Khan (108) scoring centuries. India fought back through MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, who hit fifties, but fell short at 290, giving Pakistan a 25-run win.
Bangladesh was the third team in this tri-series. India had beaten both Pakistan and Bangladesh in the group stage, while Pakistan defeated Bangladesh to make the final. Salman Butt, with 208 runs, was named Player of the Series.
Final 10: Pakistan stuns India in the 2017 Champions Trophy
The ICC Champions Trophy final on June 18, 2017, at The Oval in London, marked Pakistan’s most recent triumph in a final against India. After losing to India by 124 runs in the group stage, Pakistan bounced back strongly in the knockout rounds.
Fakhar Zaman’s scintillating century powered Pakistan to 338/4. In reply, India’s top order collapsed in the powerplay, losing Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shikhar Dhawan cheaply. Hardik Pandya fought back with a quickfire 76, but India were bowled out for 158, handing Pakistan a 180-run win. Fakhar was named Player of the Match, while Hasan Ali, who took 13 wickets in the tournament, was named Player of the Tournament.
India–Pakistan and the Asia Cup: A new chapter
Surprisingly, despite their long rivalry, India and Pakistan have never before met in an Asia Cup final. The 2025 edition in the UAE marks the first such occasion.
The Asia Cup, a 41-year-old tournament, has been played 16 times previously. India has been the most successful team, winning 8 titles and finishing runners-up 3 times, missing the final only on 4 occasions. Pakistan, on the other hand, has lifted the trophy only twice — in 2000 (vs Sri Lanka) and 2012 (vs Bangladesh). They have also been runners-up in 1986, 2014, and 2022.
This time, with 8 teams competing, history will be made as India and Pakistan contest the Asia Cup final for the very first time.