However, India will remain under pressure as the Pakistan team has a fresh batch of players who have exuberating confidence.
Sunday's match up will be the first final between the two sides in a decade, following 2007's nail-biting World Twenty20 final that saw India defeat Pakistan by a mere five runs.
Prior to this summer's Champion's Trophy, Indian Sports Minister Vijay Goel told reporters that India would not play Pakistan in any future non-tournament fixtures, while cross-border "terror from Pakistan" remains.
"The belief just showed on the field the way they played together as a team and regardless of who you play in the finals, it's always going to be challenging because once you start thinking that it's a big game, then your mindset changes".
"It was very disappointing to see that go wrong in the Indian game, but".
"India have good balance". Confident skipper vowed to put a good score on the board saying hopefully we can post more than 300.
"Having captained Pakistan in the 2011 World Cup semi-final at Mohali, I know the importance of the game and how it brings the two nations to a standstill while underlining the message of peace and tolerance for each other", the flamboyant all-rounder wrote. We've got to try and make that new ball really work for us. They will be eager to get that run-scoring going in the Champions Trophy final.
But few would dispute that India-Pakistan is now the world game's premier contest - certainly not the ICC who, by their own admission, now fix the draw at their events to ensure the Asian giants meet in the group phase.
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The powerhouses, who clobbered Bangladesh to reach the final of the ICC Champions Trophy in England on Thursday, will be led by batting star Virat Kohli and includes the core of the unit now at the showpiece in London.
India skipper Kohli: "I don't see any relevance of the first game here because you can never tell how a particular team starts a tournament".
When it comes to the batting, the inclusion of Fakhar Zaman in the playing eleven has given the Pakistan team a huge boost at the top of the order as he has got them off to quick starts with the bat.
"On their day they can beat any side in the world", said Kohli of Pakistan.
"That's the kind of players they have, and that's the kind of ability they have in their side".
"We are quite aware of that but at the same time neither are we too intimidated nor are we too arrogant to what we are doing".
But Sarfraz, who has had a fine tournament in his triple role of captain, wicket-keeper and batsman added: "You saw how well we bowled in the "death overs" against South Africa and also Sri Lanka".
"India have the upper hand in ICC tournaments but things can change, and this is the time for us to change the tag that we don't perform well at ICC events", said the 42 year-old.
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