He ran out his fellow opener Azhar Ali while he was ball-watching after they'd made a record 128 but he shrugged that off too to earn his maiden century for Pakistan, in only his fourth one-day worldwide, 11 days after his debut.
Two overs into the match, opener Rohit Sharma succumbed to a LBW, whereas skipper and heavy-hitter Virat Kohli was caught out by Shadab Khan.
There was no way back for India, who collapsed to 158 all out with almost 20 overs of the match as they suffered their heaviest defeat by runs in 129 ODIs against Pakistan.
Fakhar Zaman's maiden one-day worldwide hundred laid the foundations for Pakistan's formidable total of 338-4.
By the time Sarfraz took the final catch, off the bowling of the tournament's leading wicket-taker Hasan Ali, who finished yesterday with 3-19 and the Champions Trophy with 13 wickets, there was barely an Indian fan to witness it. "However, by the time it lifted the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 at The Oval, it was undoubtedly playing its best cricket", he added. These two lads, plus Shadab Khan, are the future of Pakistan cricket and I sincerely hope they will only go in the upward direction from here. "We played like we had nothing to lose, now we are champions", said Sarfraz. "It's a young team, credit goes to my boys, this tournament can be a great booster for us".
Hardik Pandya helped drag his side from the edge of the abyss with 76 runs, but Pakistan bowled out India for 158 to score a remarkable victory.
Pakistan, who will aim for more ODI glory in England at the 2019 World Cup, looked anything but tournament winners after their opening loss.
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Group B would begin with the same scoreline, as Copa America winners Chile saw off the challenge of African champions Cameroon at the Otkritie Arena in Moscow .
The margin of victory - by a massive 180 runs with just under 20 overs to spare - was as emphatic as it was surprising for a team who tested the skin on their teeth and the seats of their trousers to the limits to get over the line. Ali scored 59 before Mohammed Hafeez provided a late burst with 37-ball 57.
Kohli's dismissal for five following a golden run in the tournament prompted gloom among the India supporters. It was built on a tremendous stand for the opening wicket - with India's first breakthrough not until the 23rd over when Pakistan had already amassed 128 runs.
It is also believed that with the next edition of the tournament being held in India in 2021, only England could sell out games involving neutral sides due to their expat population.
Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed believes his side's crushing victory over India in the Champions Trophy final would serve as a catalyst to bring back worldwide cricket back home.
Fakhar continued to a 92-ball century, finally falling to Indian bowler Hardik Pandya in the 33rd over. "They outplayed us, they were more intense and passionate on the day".
Although Fakhar was guilty of ball-watching when Azhar was run out, the left-hander swiftly made amends, adopting a particularly aggressive approach against spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja as he dashed from 50 to 100 in just 32 balls.
At that point it really was embarrassing for Pakistan and seemed to give them little to no chance of qualifying for the semi-finals with India and South Africa expected to dominate the group.
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