Asia Cup Winners: The Asia Cup is a popular biennial cricket tournament hosted in Asia. The International Cricket Council (ICC) organises it. The most recent tournament, the sixteenth, was held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka between August 31 and September 17, 2023. Six teams competed in the Asia Cup 2022, with Sri Lanka emerging victorious. India won the inaugural Asia Cup, which was contested in the UAE in 1984, with Sri Lanka finishing in second place. Below is a list of the Asia Cup champions, runners-up, and host nations for each tournament from 1984 to 2022.
Asia Cup Winners
Asia Cup Winners List from 1984 to 2023 | |||
Year | Winner | Runner Up | Hosting Nation |
1984 | India | Sri Lanka | UAE |
1986 | Sri Lanka | Pakistan | Sri Lanka |
1988 | India | Sri Lanka | Bangladesh |
1991 | India | Sri Lanka | India |
1995 | India | Sri Lanka | UAE |
1997 | Sri Lanka | India | Sri Lanka |
2000 | Pakistan | Sri Lanka | Bangladesh |
2004 | Sri Lanka | India | Sri Lanka |
2008 | Sri Lanka | India | Pakistan |
2010 | India | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka |
2012 | Pakistan | Bangladesh | Bangladesh |
2014 | Sri Lanka | Pakistan | Bangladesh |
2016 | India | Bangladesh | Bangladesh |
2018 | India | Bangladesh | UAE |
2022 | Sri Lanka | Pakistan | UAE |
List of Asia Cup Winners by Country
Team India has been the most successful in the Asia Cup, having won seven of the tournament’s fifteen previous editions. Sri Lanka comes in second with six victories, while Pakistan has emerged victorious twice. Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong are the only remaining teams without an Asia Cup victory.
Here is the country-wise list of Asia Cup winners:
Team | Winner | Runner-up | Winning Year |
---|---|---|---|
India | 7 | 3 | 1984, 1988, 1991, 1995, 2010, 2016, 2018 |
Sri Lanka | 6 | 6 | 1986, 1997, 2004, 2008, 2014, 2022 |
Pakistan | 2 | 3 | 2000, 2012 |
Bangladesh | Not yet | 3 | Not yet |
Afghanistan | Not yet | Not yet | Not yet |
Hong Kong | Not yet | Not yet | Not yet |
India’s numerous victories in the Asia Cup demonstrate their cricketing prowess in the region and attest to their Asia Cup dominance. Sri Lanka’s success emphasises their impressive performance, making them a formidable opponent in the competition. Despite having fewer victories, Pakistan has still won the championship twice.
About the Asia Cup
The Asia Cup is the only tournament of its kind in the globe, as it focuses exclusively on nations from a single continent. India has been the most successful team in Asia Cup history in terms of performance, having won the tournament seven times.
In addition, India has reached the final stage an astounding ten times out of a total of fifteen finals (though they omitted one edition). Sri Lanka follows India closely with six Asia Cup victories, while Pakistan has won the tournament twice. Initially, only three nations participated in the competition, but it has since grown to include six: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, and Afghanistan.
Origins of the Asia Cup
In 1984, the inaugural Asia Cup was held in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, where the council’s headquarters were located (until 1995). India skipped the tournament in 1986 owing to its strained cricketing relations with Sri Lanka. Due to strained political relations with India, Pakistan boycotted the 1990–91 tournament, and the 1993 tournament was discontinued for the same reason. The ACC announced that the tournament would be conducted every two years beginning in 2009. The ICC has determined that all Asia Cup matches are official One-Day Internationals.
The 16th edition of the Asia Cup will be contested in both ODI and Twenty20 International formats in 2023. Pakistan and Sri Lanka will serve as co-hosts for the tournament. The ODIs will take place in Pakistan, while the T20Is will take place in Sri Lanka.