IND vs PAK final in Asia Cup for the first time in 41 years: here's how

The final of Asia Cup 2025 is going to be a historic one as it will be the first time in the history of the tournament that the two biggest arch-rivals of cricket, India and Pakistan, will face each other in the final. India are the most successful team in Asia Cup history with eight titles, while Pakistan are two-time champions. Coming into this year’s final, India have been unbeaten in all six matches they have played, while Pakistan lost just two games — both against India.

 

Notably, despite being two of the biggest powerhouses of Asian cricket, it is somewhat surprising that they have never faced each other in the final. So, if they have failed to achieve this moment so far in the Asia Cup, take a look at how they have performed in each edition of the tournament. 

Asia Cup 1984

The inaugural edition of the Asia Cup in 1984 featured three teams — India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka — and was played in a round-robin format. India won both their games in the tournament, including a 54-run victory over Pakistan, to be crowned the first-ever Asia Cup champions.

Asia Cup 1986

The 1986 Asia Cup was a controversial one after India refused to take part in the tournament due to strained relations with the Sri Lankan cricket team. Bangladesh replaced India as the third team. Pakistan and Sri Lanka qualified for the final, where Sri Lanka won by five wickets to lift their first Asia Cup title.

Asia Cup 1988

India returned to the Asia Cup in 1988, which now featured four teams after retaining Bangladesh. It was a round-robin followed by a final format. India and Pakistan met in the group stages, where India won the game by four wickets to advance to the final with two wins from three games, while Pakistan were eliminated from the group stages after losing against both India and Sri Lanka. India won the final by six wickets to claim their second Asia Cup title.

Asia Cup 1990/91

India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh competed in a round-robin format. India and Sri Lanka qualified for the final, where India won by seven wickets. India beat Pakistan in the group stage. Pakistan failed to make the final, while India lifted their third Asia Cup title.

Asia Cup 1995

This edition also featured a round-robin format. India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka finished on equal points, but India and Sri Lanka advanced to the final due to superior net run rate. In the group stage, Pakistan thrashed India by 97 runs but could not qualify for the final. India beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets to win their fourth title.

Asia Cup 1997

With the same format, India and Sri Lanka made it to the final again. Their group match against Pakistan ended with no result due to rain, and Pakistan were eliminated after losing to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka defeated India by eight wickets in the final.

Asia Cup 2000

Pakistan beat India by 44 runs in the group stage to march into the final, while India crashed out early. Pakistan clinched their maiden Asia Cup title by defeating Sri Lanka in the final.

Asia Cup 2004

India and Pakistan were placed together in the Super Four. Pakistan secured a 59-run win against India in the Super Four, but Sri Lanka topped the table and faced India in the final, where Sri Lanka won. Pakistan once again missed out on the summit clash.

Asia Cup 2008

Both teams met during the Super Four stage. India defeated Pakistan by six wickets in the group phase, but Pakistan were eliminated from title contention as they couldn't overcome Sri Lanka in the Super Four stage. Sri Lanka beat India in the final.

Asia Cup 2010

India and Pakistan played out a classic thriller in Dambulla, with India winning by three wickets in the group stage. However, Pakistan did not qualify for the final, which saw India defeating Sri Lanka to claim the title.

Asia Cup 2012

Both sides delivered a high-scoring contest in Dhaka, where India chased down a mammoth 330 to defeat Pakistan by six wickets in the group phase. Pakistan advanced to the final, but India were knocked out based on group points, denying a title match-up. Pakistan eventually won the final against Bangladesh.

Asia Cup 2014

Another close game saw Pakistan narrowly defeat India by one wicket in the group stage. Despite the win, Pakistan finished second and met Sri Lanka in the final, where Sri Lanka emerged champions. India did not qualify for the final.

Asia Cup 2016 (First in T20 format)

India dominated Pakistan, winning by five wickets after bowling out Pakistan for just 83 runs in Mirpur. However, after round-robin play, India faced Bangladesh in the final, as Pakistan were once again eliminated in the group stage.

Asia Cup 2018

India and Pakistan clashed twice in the group and Super Four stages, with India registering convincing wins on both occasions. Pakistan couldn’t progress to the final, which again saw India defeating Bangladesh for the trophy.

Asia Cup 2022 (Second in T20I format)

Both teams played twice in the group and Super Four stages, each winning once. However, India failed to qualify for the final after losing to Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the Super Four. The final featured Sri Lanka and Pakistan, with Sri Lanka emerging champions.

Asia Cup 2023

India hammered Pakistan by 228 runs in the Super Four stage but, as in previous editions, both sides did not meet in the final. India secured the title against Sri Lanka, while Pakistan didn’t qualify for the final after underperforming in the Super Four.

Asia Cup 2025 (Third time in T20 format)

Finally, after 17 editions, India and Pakistan reached the final for the first time in Asia Cup history. India continued their unbeaten run to the summit, while Pakistan rallied to beat Bangladesh in a tight Super Four game to book their spot, setting up the historic India vs Pakistan final.