The Asia Cup is a cricket tournament that features teams from Asia, namely India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and others. The tournament was first held in 1984 in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, and was initiated by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to promote goodwill and cooperation among Asian countries. The tournament has been held every two years since then, except for a few occasions when it was postponed or canceled due to political or security reasons.
The Asia Cup has seen many memorable moments and fierce rivalries over the years. Some of the highlights include:
- India won the inaugural edition in 1984 by defeating Sri Lanka in the final by 96 runs. India’s captain Sunil Gavaskar scored a century in the final and was named the player of the tournament.
- Pakistan won their first Asia Cup in 1986 by defeating Sri Lanka in the final by 2 wickets. Pakistan’s Javed Miandad hit a six off the last ball to seal the victory in a thrilling finish.
- Sri Lanka won their first Asia Cup in 1986 by defeating India in the final by 5 wickets. Sri Lanka’s Arjuna Ranatunga scored an unbeaten 57 and guided his team to a historic win.
- Bangladesh hosted the Asia Cup for the first time in 2000 and reached the final for the first time in 2012. Bangladesh lost both finals to Sri Lanka and Pakistan respectively, but won the hearts of their fans with their spirited performances.
- Afghanistan made its debut in the Asia Cup in 2014 and upset Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the group stage. Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi was the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 11 scalps.
- India won the Asia Cup for a record seventh time in 2018 by defeating Bangladesh in the final by 3 wickets. India’s Dinesh Karthik hit a six off the penultimate ball to clinch a nail-biting victory.
The Asia Cup has seen many thrilling matches and memorable performances over the years. Some of the most successful teams in the tournament are India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, who have won the trophy seven, five, and two times respectively. Bangladesh and Afghanistan are the other two teams that have participated in the Asia Cup but have not yet won the title.
Here is the list of all the winners of the Asia Cup in both ODI and T20I formats:
T20I Format:
| Year | Host | Winner | Runner-up | Result |
| 2016 | Bangladesh | India | Bangladesh | India won by 8 wickets |
| 2022 | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | Pakistan | Sri Lanka won by 23 runs |
ODI Format:
| Year | Host | Winner | Runner-up | Result |
| 1984 | UAE | India | Sri Lanka | India won by 2 wickets |
| 1986 | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | Pakistan | Sri Lanka won by 5 wickets |
| 1988 | Bangladesh | India | Sri Lanka | India won by 6 wickets |
| 1990-91 | India | India | Sri Lanka | India won by 7 wickets |
| 1995 | UAE | India | Sri Lanka | India won by 8 wickets |
| 1997 | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | India | Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets |
| 2000 | Bangladesh | Pakistan | Sri Lanka | Pakistan won by 39 runs |
| 2004 | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | India | Sri Lanka won by 25 runs |
| 2008 | Pakistan | Sri Lanka | India | Sri Lanka won by 100 runs |
| 2010 | Sri Lanka | India | Sri Lanka | India won by 81 runs |
| 2012 | Bangladesh | Pakistan | Bangladesh | Pakistan won by 2 runs |
| 2014 | Bangladesh | Sri Lanka | Pakistan | Sri Lanka won by 5 wickets |
| 2018 | UAE | India | Bangladesh | India won by 3 wickets |
The Asia Cup is one of the most prestigious and competitive cricket tournaments in the world. It showcases the talent and passion of the Asian teams and provides a platform for them to prove their mettle against each other. The next edition of the Asia Cup is scheduled to be held in 2023 in Pakistan and is expected to be another exciting and entertaining event for cricket fans across the globe.
