Asia is only continent with enough number of international cricket teams to consist a proper tournament. it was spotted by Asian cricket council (ACC) in 1983 to promote the game & goodwill and very next year we had it’s first edition. India and Sri Lanka have won the cup 4 times untill the 2010 championship while Pakistan have won it only once. Sri Lanka are only team to participate in every single asia cup.
We’ve had two asia cup of test matches as well, won by Pakistan in year 1998 and Sri Lanka in 2001.
Here’s a brief history :-
April 1984 in Sharjah
India v Sri Lanka v Pakistan : won by India.
Only 3 match triangular, each team played other once, and India (who won both games) were declared winners without there being a final!
Mar-Apr 1986 in Sri Lanka
Pakistan v Bangladesh v Sri Lanka : won by Sri Lanka.
India skipped due to strained relationship with Sri Lanka, Bangladesh joined this second edition of Asia cup cricket which was another triangular tournament (each match of 45 overs) but with a final, between Sri Lanka & Pakistan which hosts won by 5 wickets.
Oct-Nov 1988 in Bangladesh
India v Pakistan v Sri Lanka v Bangladesh : won by India.
A tournament dominated by finalists India and Sri Lanka who both team Bangladesh and Pakistan at league stage but Indians had a better day on final, winning by 6 wickets after bowling out islanders for only 176.
December 1990 in India
India v Sri Lanka v Bangladesh : won by India
Pakistan refused to tour India and hence only 3 teams played, two major ones reached final at Kolkata in which India yet again beat Sri Lanka, this time chasing down 204 with 7 wicket and 17 balls to spare.
April 1995 in Sharjah
India v Sri Lanka v Pakistan v Bangladesh : won by India
Asia cup returned after 5 years (after proposed 1993 edition was canceled due to ill political relationship between India & Pakistan), back to where it all started at Sharjah. Pakistan defeated India by huge margin of 97 runs but lost their way since then, losing to Sri Lanka and failing to reach finals where India, having beaten Bangladesh and Sri Lanka at league stage, beat Lankans once again to claim their 3rd consecutive Asia cup, chasing down 232 with 8 wickets in hand.
July 1997 in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka v Bangladesh v Pakistan v India : won by Sri Lanka.
Crucial India vs Pakistan match was rained off despite there being a rest day, which cost green team a chance for finals as Indians punished Bangladesh within 15 overs in last league game to improve their net runrate and made it finals against hosts Sri Lanka who chased down 240 to win their second asia cup.
May-June 2000 in Bangladesh
India v Pakistan v Sri Lanka v Bangladesh : won by Pakistan.
An undefeated tournament for Pakistan who won asia cup for the first time, beating Bangladesh by 233 runs, India by 44 runs and Sri Lanka by 7 wickets and again by 39 runs in finals at Bangabandhu stadium.
July 2004 in Sri Lanka
India v Pakistan v Sri Lanka v Bangladesh v Hong Kong v UAE : won by Sri Lanka.
Minnows Hong Kong and United Arab Emirates were included with Bangladesh joining seniors India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in this 8th edition of asia cup. A 12 match tournament, India and Sri Lanka played finals where hosts defended smallish 228, winning by 25 runs.
June 2008 in Pakistan
India v Pakistan v Sri Lanka v Bangladesh v Hong Kong v UAE : won by Sri Lanka.
Another 6 team 6 league game 6 super 8s game tournament but a very high scoring one where totals over 300 were chased down frequely, and Indians yet again made it finals with Sri Lanka in opposition only to lose it by 100 runs.
June 2010 in Sri Lanka – 15 June – Sri Lanka v Pakistan Sri Lanka won by 16 runs
16 June – India v Bangladesh India won by 6 wickets
18 June – Sri Lanka v Bangladesh Sri Lanka won by 126 runs
19 June – India v Pakistan India won by 3 wickets
21 June – Pakistan v Bangladesh Pakistan won by 139 runs
22 June – India v Sri Lanka Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets
26th June – Sri Lanka v India Final won by SL
