The gulf between the two teams is humongous in terms of talent and quality, but it wasn’t always the case. Despite India winning their last seven games in a row, the overall head-to-head record between the two teams is still dominated by Pakistan, which proves how different things were in the 1980s, 1990s, the early 2000s and occasionally in the 2010s.

Pakistan have registered numerous memorable wins against India, but one victory that still stings every Indian the most is the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy – the last time these two teams did battle in the final of a multi-nation tournament. India had run Pakistan ragged in the league stage, dishing out a 124-run hammering. The Men in Blue, under Virat Kohli, were the outright favourites by miles heading into the final. But no one… absolutely no one could have envisioned the proceedings that unfolded on the day of the final at the Oval. Pakistan, the perennial unpredictables, steamrolled India by a mammoth 180 runs to lift their first Champions Trophy.

How the match unfolded

Barring Fakhar Zaman, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, no one from that bunch eight years ago is playing the final tonight. And to think that all three of these names had a bearing on the outcome of that match in 2017, Fakhar being the biggest factor. The Pakistan opener hit a career-best 114, which made all the difference. India could have had him early had it not been for Bumrah dismissing him off a no-ball. Fakhar was batting on just three when Bumrah overstepped, and the rest, as they say, is history. Fakhar’s century, along with half-centuries from Azhar Ali and Mohammad Hafeez, powered Pakistan to a rocking total of 338/4.

The Indian batting simply failed to take off. The fabled top three of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were bulldozed by Mohammad Amir’s destructive spell of 3/16 from six overs – he wasn’t needed again. The only semblance of fight shown by India was in the form of Hardik, who refused to throw in the towel and didn’t give up. Hardik blasted 76 off 43 balls, laced with six sixes, and had it not been for a piece of miscommunication with Ravindra Jadeja, who knows… Hardik could well have seen India home. Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni tried, but it wasn’t 2006 anymore. The nostalgia act was doused quickly as Pakistan cantered home with almost 20 overs to spare.

In 2025, things appear slightly similar. India is the favourite again, and no one is giving Pakistan a chance. However, the big difference is the number of match winners. India has all 11, Pakistan… not as many.