Chasing a modest total of 261 runs, Pakistan were dismissed for 231 with a ball to spare after all of India's five bowlers took two wickets apiece.
Misbah-ul-Haq, who top-scored for Pakistan with 56, helped take them from 208 for nine to a situation where an unlikely 30 was needed off the last over.
But Zaheer Khan held his nerve, bowling four dot balls before Misbah holed out to Virat Kohli to the delight of a capacity crowd.
India's 260 for nine after winning the toss against their arch-rivals was built around Sachin Tendulkar's 85.
But they might have made considerably less had not the star batsman been dropped four times in an innings that still left him one short of a hundred international hundreds.
Left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz led Pakistan's attack with career-best figures of five for 46.
For Pakistan, openers Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez provided a good start of 44 runs before Kamran was caught by Yuvraj Singh at point off Zaheer Khan for 19.
Mohammad Hafeez made 43 before he was caught behind after trying to sweep seamer Munaf Patel.
Yuvraj, out for a golden duck, atoned in front of his home crowd with two wickets for no runs in five balls as Pakistan slumped to 106 for four.
The left-arm spinner bowled Asad Shafiq (30) as the batsman made room to cut and then had the experienced Younus Khan (13) caught at cover by Suresh Raina.
Umar Akmal, however, counter-attacked in trademark style, pulling and driving Yuvraj for the first two sixes of the match.
But on 29, he was bowled by Harbhajan Singh to leave Pakistan 142 for five.
Pakistan required 84 off the last 10 overs and needed a big innings from big-hitting skipper Shahid Afridi who only managed 19 before he sliced Harbhajan to Virender Sehwag at cover-point and at 184 for seven the game was almost up for Pakistan.
Earlier, the 25-year-old Wahab Riaz kept his side in the match.
Riaz, on as first change, struck fifth ball when he had dangerman Sehwag, hitting across the line, lbw for 38 including nine boundaries.
Then, on 27, Tendulkar pulled leg-spinner Afridi hard to short mid-wicket only for Misbah to drop the catch.
Tendulkar was dropped again, on 45, when Younus at mid-off failed to hold on to a mistimed drive off leg-spinner Afridi.
Riaz, however, had Kohli caught by Umar Akmal at backward point and next ball clean bowled Yuvraj with a swinging full toss.
Tendulkar was given a third reprieve by Pakistan on 70 when wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal failed to hold a tough chance off an edged Afridi leg-break.
And he was on 81 when a leaping Umar Akmal at short mid-wicket dropped a checked drive against off-spinner Hafeez.
However, Afridi ended his innings when he took a sharp catch at short extra-cover off Ajmal. Tendulkar faced 115 balls with 11 fours.
Riaz had Dhoni lbw before completing his five-wicket haul when Zaheer was caught behind.
India will now face Sri Lanka in the final to be played at Mumbai on Saturday.
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