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India’s UAE finals curse against Pakistan has been decades in the making. India has struggled to topple their arch-rivals in the final played in the UAE. Out of 10 high-stakes finals, India has only triumphed three times—1985’s WCC in Melbourne, 1998’s Independence Cup in Dhaka, and 2007’s ICC World T20 in Johannesburg. The UAE, in particular, has been a fortress for Pakistan, with victories in 1986, 1991, 1994, 1999 – all in Sharjah, denying India glory. As Asia Cup 2025 approaches, can India finally break the jinx and rewrite history? 1986 – Austral-Asia Cup final at Sharjah – Pakistan beat India by 1 wicket: In the 1986 Austral-Asia Cup final in Sharjah, Pakistan needed 4 runs off the last ball to beat India. India’s bowler Chetan Sharma delivered what was meant to be a Yorker, but it slipped into a full toss. Javed Miandad seized the moment and launched it over the boundary for a six, sealing a dramatic one-wicket victory for Pakistan. Miandad remained not out on 116. The shot instantly became iconic and is widely remembered as one of the most dramatic finishes in ODI history. 1991 – Wills Trophy – Pakistan beat India by 72 Runs: India opted to field first and struck early, with Manoj Prabhakar dismissing Aamer Sohail and Kapil Dev removing Sajid Ali to leave Pakistan reeling at 23/2. However, a commanding 171-run third-wicket stand between Zahid Fazal and Saleem Malik turned the tide as Pakistan posted a competitive 262/6 in 50 overs. India’s chase faltered from the outset, with wickets tumbling at regular intervals. Unable to build partnerships, they were bowled out for just 190, conceding a 72-run victory to Pakistan. 1994 – Austral-Asia Cup – Pakistan won by 39 runs: In the 1994 Austral-Asia Cup clash, Pakistan posted 250/6 in 50 overs, powered by half-centuries from Aamer Sohail and Basit Ali. India’s reply began poorly with Ajay Jadeja dismissed for a duck. Wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals, and despite Vinod Kambli’s 56, the innings folded for 211, handing Pakistan a 39-run victory. 1999 – Coca Cola Cup – Pakistan won by 7 wickets: Still reeling from their Pepsi Cup final defeat, India suffered another setback against Pakistan, this time in Sharjah. Batting first, Mohammad Azharuddin’s side collapsed to a disappointing 125 all out in 45 overs. Pakistan made light work of the chase, cruising to the target with eight wickets to spare. 1999 – Pepsi Cup – Pakistan defeated India by 123 runs: In the Pepsi Cup final at Bangalore, Pakistan, led by Wasim Akram, posted 291/8 in 50 overs, with Inzamam-ul-Haq scoring 91. India, captained by Ajay Jadeja, faltered in the chase and were dismissed for just 168, handing Pakistan a commanding 123-run victory and the tournament title. 1985 – World Championship of Cricket – India beat Pakistan by 8 wickets: The 1985 World Championship of Cricket remains one of India’s most remarkable victories in the history of ODIs. They faced Pakistan for the first time in the final of a multination tournament. Kapil Dev and Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, restricted Pakistan to a modest 176 runs. In response, India chased down the target comfortably, thanks to a composed innings by Kris Srikkanth (67 runs) and contributions from other top-order batsmen. India won the final by eight wickets, marking a historic triumph. 1998 – Independence Cup – India Won by 3 wickets: In the 1998 Silver Jubilee Independence Cup final series at Dhaka, India won the first match by 8 wickets, with Sachin Tendulkar scoring 95. Pakistan levelled the series in the second game, chasing 190 with 6 wickets to spare. The decider turned into a classic, as Pakistan posted 314/5 through Saeed Anwar’s 140 and Ijaz Ahmed’s 117, but Sourav Ganguly’s 124 powered India to a thrilling 3-wicket win and the title. 2007 – T20 world Cup Final – India beat Pakistan by 5 runs: The 2007 World T20 final saw India set 157/5 before reducing Pakistan to 104/7. Misbah-ul-Haq’s late fightback brought the equation to 13 off the last over. Dhoni handed the ball to Joginder Sharma, and despite a six, Misbah’s scoop was caught by Sreesanth at short fine-leg. Pakistan fell short, all out for 152, handing India victory. 2008 – Kitply Cup – India lose by 25 runs: Pakistan after batting first posted 315/3 in 50 overs. Salman Butt and Younis Khan smashed individual hundreds for their side. In reply India fell short by 25 runs to lose the final. 2017 – ICC Champions Trophy – Pakistan win by 180 runs: Pakistan stunned Virat Kohli-led India with a commanding 180-run victory at The Oval. Powered by Fakhar Zaman’s brilliant 114, Pakistan posted 338/4. India’s chase never took off, collapsing to 158 all out, despite Hardik Pandya’s fiery 76, as Pakistan clinched their maiden Champions Trophy title.
