Despite their fierce rivalry and countless duels, cricket’s two giants have never faced off in the ultimate Asia Cup showdown
Imagine Dubai under lights, a final, with India facing PAK for the Asia Cup crown. The stands are a blur of blue and green, television ratings break records, and the cricketing world holds its breath. It feels inevitable.
Yet, in 41 years of Asia Cup history, this dream scenario has never happened.
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Despite these expectations, the tournament, founded in 1984, has seen 16 finals. India has appeared in 11 of them, and PAK in 5. Across 18 meetings in group and Super Four stages, they have never clashed for the trophy itself. This means the greatest rivalry in cricket has curiously never produced the biggest stage clash in Asia's own tournament.
For India, meanwhile, the Asia Cup has served as a stage for dominance. With eight titles and 11 final appearances — all against either Sri Lanka (nine times) or Bangladesh (twice) — their journey has long been marked by a pattern. From Sharjah in 1984 to Colombo in 2023, India’s route to victory has consistently bypassed its chief rivals.
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Even when PAK reached the final, the pattern persisted: Sri Lanka in 1986, 2000, 2004, and 2008, and Bangladesh in 2012. The two giants circled each other, yet fate never allowed them to clash at the summit.
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This is not to suggest that India–PAK matches have been absent from the Asia Cup. Quite the opposite. Their 18 encounters across ODIs and T20Is have delivered drama, heartbreak, and unforgettable performances.
In 2014, Shahid Afridi amazed Dhaka with back-to-back sixes off R. Ashwin to snatch victory.
In 2016, Virat Kohli's determined 49 on a green Mirpur pitch secured India’s win.
In 2018, India defeated PAK twice in the UAE on its way to the title.
And in 2023, India handed PAK a 228-run defeat in Colombo, its heaviest loss in Asia Cup history.
So, every time they meet, the stakes seem like a final. Yet, officially, it has never been one.
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The reasons are as much about cricketing cycles as they are about fate. Often, one giant stumbled just before the final hurdle. PAK faltered in the Super Fours in 2010, 2016, and 2018. India slipped in 2008 and 2022, falling short of a summit clash.
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Another factor: Sri Lanka’s consistency. With six titles and 12 finals, the island nation has been the perennial disruptor, ensuring India and Pakistan never met in the last match. Bangladesh, too, with its rise in the 2010s, broke into the script twice.
The 2025 Asia Cup, set to begin on September 9 in the UAE, presents another enticing prospect. India and PAK are placed in the same group along with Oman and the UAE, guaranteeing a blockbuster clash on September 14 in Dubai. If both teams advance, they could meet again in the Super Fours, and — possibly — in the final on September 28.
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Now, picture SKY's daring stroke play against Shaheen Afridi's deadly swing, as Shubman Gill goes up against Fakhar Zaman. Arshdeep Singh is at the death overs, facing Salman Ali Agha's unshakeable chase. The match the Asia Cup has yet to witness might finally be etched into its history.
