Harish Kotian on Team India's losses in major ICC tournament finals.
India's tame capitulation in the ICC Champions Trophy final against Pakistan on Sunday was not the first time the Indians have fallen short in the title clash in a major tournament.
While winning four major finals -- the 50-overs World Cups in 1983 and 2011, the World T20 title in 2007 and the ICC Champions Trophy triumph in 2013, India have finished on the losing side in the finals on four occasions.
India were also declared joint ICC Champions Trophy winners with Sri Lanka in 2002 after the final in Colombo was washed out.
India suffered heartbreak in the final for the first time, in the ICC Knockout Trophy against New Zealand in 2000.
And that was followed by a spanking at Australia's hands in the 2003 World Cup final before they were outclassed by Sri Lanka in the World T20 final in 2014.
Team India's losses in major ICC tournament finals:
India v New Zealand, 2000 ICC KnockOut Final
India were the hot favourites going into the final, having beaten World champions Australia and South Africa in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively.
They were up against New Zealand, who were making their first appearance in the final of a major ICC tournament.
Put into bat in the title clash of the first-ever ICC Champions Trophy in 2000, which was then known as the ICC Knockout tournament, India finished on 264/6 in their 50 overs.
At one stage, India looked set for a total well in excess of 300 after Sourav Ganguly (117) and Sachin Tendulkar (69) put on 141 runs for the opening wicket in 26.3 overs.
But a cluster of wickets at the end saw India finish with a below-par total at the Gymkhana Club Ground in Nairobi.
New Zealand struggled to get going with Venkatesh Prasad claiming a couple of early wickets.
But Chris Cairns played the innings of his life, smashing a brilliant 102 not out, including the winning six, to steer New Zealand to a thrilling 4 wicket victory with two balls to spare.
India vs Australia, 2003 World Cup Final
Australia defeated India by nine wickets in the group stages, but the Indians staged a remarkable turnaround to win their next eight games and storm into the final.
All that confidence was shattered as the invincible Australians produced another world class performance to rout India and become the first team to win the World Cup three times.
India's Captain Sourav Ganguly made the cardinal mistake of putting a strong Australian team in to bat on a good batting wicket in Johannesburg.
Zaheer Khan went for 15 runs in the first over and it set the tone for Australia's mammoth total.
Adam Gilchrist smashed a quickfire 57 from 48 balls, adding 105 runs for the opening wicket with Matthew Hayden in just 14 overs.
Captain Ricky Ponting followed it up with a splendid 140 from 121 balls to propel Australia to a massive 359/2 and ensure the contest was nearly as good as over even before India came out to bat.
Any slim hope India may have harboured ended when Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed in the very first over for 4.
Virender Sehwag hit an entertaining 82 from 81 balls, hitting 10 fours and three sixes, but India never mounted any challenge and crashed for 234 all out in 39.2 overs to lose by 125 runs.
India v Sri Lanka, 2014 World T20 Final
No one would have given Sri Lanka a chance in the final considering India's red hot form going into the title clash with seven wins on the trot in T20s.
India came through unscathed from a tough group comprising Pakistan, the West Indies, Australia and Bangladesh, registering easy wins against all of them before they trounced South Africa by six wickets in the semis.
India was up against Sri Lanka who had lost their last four ICC tournament finals.
But it was India who cracked in the final. Despite Virat Kohli's sizzling 77 from 58 balls, India could only muster 130/4 in their 20 overs in Mirpur, Bangladesh.
Yuvraj Singh struggled in the death overs, scoring just 11 from 21 balls without a single boundary, which was responsible for India finishing with the lowest total in a World T20 final.
Kumar Sangakkara, playing for the last time in a T20 International for Sri Lanka, starred with the bat with an unbeaten 52 from 35 balls.
Sri Lanka cruised to a 6 wicket victory in 17.5 overs to accord a perfect T20 farewell to their two legends -- Sanga and Mahela Jayawardene.
India vs Pakistan, 2017 ICC Champions Trophy Final
Another big final when India sensationally choked and suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Pakistan in a script somewhat similar to the 2003 World Cup final.
Defending champions India went into the final high on confidence after their impressive run in the group stages, including a crushing 124 run victory against Pakistan in their opening game.
Virat Kohli opted to bowl rather than bat in good conditions at the Oval.
Pakistan made the most of the opportunity with opener Fakhar Zaman smashing 114 from 106 balls to power his team to a huge 338/4.
Mohammed Amir destroyed India's hopes in his first spell with the big wickets of the in-form trio of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan.
Hardik Pandya shone among the ruins with a cracking 76 from 46 balls before India were bundled out for a paltry 158 in 30.3 overs to lose by 180 runs, its worst defeat against Pakistan.
