Pakistan were afforded a life in the early overs having been inserted by India, when Fakhar Zaman edged to the wicketkeeper only for Jasprit Bumrah to be told he had overstepped.
The 27-year-old went on to make a first ever ODI hundred as Pakistan set their fierce rivals 339 to win.
India never got close, Mohammad Amir getting rid of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli to leave any hopes of a successful run-chase in tatters.
The India captain Kohli, with his reputation for chasing almost any score in the ODI format, was more than happy to insert Pakistan despite The Oval sporting a fresh pitch for the first time in the tournament.
And he thought he had the perfect start after a Bhuveneshwar Kumar maiden followed by Zaman’s nick to MS Dhoni.
The no-ball was a sizeable one and it ended up costing them 111 runs as Zaman, in just his fourth ODI, dominated the attack.
He was not flawless though and a mix-up between himself and Azhar Ali saw the opening partnership ended at 128, the latter run out for 59.
The left-handed opener in particular targeted India’s spinners and Ravi Ashwin and Ravi Jadeja conceded 137 runs from their 18 overs.
The 27-year-old appropriately enough swept Ashwin for four to take him to three figures but he soon departed for 114 off just 106 balls.
The innings threatened to lose momentum but the experience of Mohammad Hafeez proved crucial as he slapped an unbeaten 57 off 37 balls to elevate Pakistan past 330.
On such a good pitch with a fast outfield and a partisan crowd, it was a good but not unreachable score.
However, Amir was brilliant with the new ball, removing Sharma in very first over for a duck, trapped LBW by the in-swinger.
It brought the dangerous Kohli to the crease and Ali must have feared the worst when he grassed a regulation slip catch off his young left-arm firebrand.
But uncharacteristically, Kohli offered another chance the very next ball and Shadab Khan was not so profligate.
Dhawan followed to Amir in the first over and of the other Indian batsmen, only Hardik Pandya offered any resistance.
He smashed six maximums on his way to 76 off 43 and with Jadeja at the other end, a comeback still looked unlikely but not impossible.
The spinner put paid to those hopes though when he committed the cardinal sin of ball-watching and leaving Pandya stranded in the middle of the pitch.
The game went with him and eventually, Bumrah spooned Hasan Ali up in the air to end India’s innings and give Pakistan a 180-run win and trigger scenes of wild celebration.
