History: Asia Cup

The Asia Cup is an international cricket tournament played by the countries from Asia predominantly from the sub-continent. The first edition was held in 1984 at Sharjah in the U.A.E. The main teams who participate are India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

In 1986 India did not take part in the tournament due to strained cricketing relations with Sri Lanka, hence Bangladesh took part for the first time. Bangladesh also hosted the tournament for the first time in 1988. The 1993 edition was not held due to political tensions between India and Pakistan as the tournament was to take place in Pakistan.

India have won the cup 5 times (1984, 1988, 1990-91, 1995, 2010), Sri Lanka 4 (1986, 1997, 2004, 2008) and Pakistan have won it once in 2000. Sri Lanka hold the record for appearing in each and every final since the tournament's inception. India are the only team to have won it three times in a row. In 2004 the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong participated for the first time.

The best turnaround in the tournament's history would be the 2008 final between India and Sri Lanka at Karachi when Sri Lanka were 70/4. Sanath Jayasuriya's explosive century helped them get past 270 and then Ajantha Mendis in his web of 6/13 bundled out the Indians to give Sri Lanka a 100-run victory. In 2010, India beat Sri Lanka to win their 5th Asia Cup but 1st after 15 years.

In 1995 also they had defeated Sri Lanka. Only once have India not made it to the final and that was in 2000 when the tournament was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The 2012 edition is the 11 of the Asia Cup which will be held in Bangladesh. This is the third time they will be hosting it. Hong Kong and UAE shall be participating in their 3rd Asia Cup. Sri Lanka shall be looking to equal India's record of most Asia Cup wins and Pakistan shall look for their first cup since 2000. Bangladesh are yet to win their first Asia Cup having competed for 24 years.

The Asia Cup has had its share of controversies. In 2004 India qualified on the basis of a bonus point from the Super Eights into the final despite having lost to Pakistan who did not make the final. A similar thing happened in 2008 when India qualified on basis of net run rate which was seemingly undeserving as Pakistan who had beaten them in the Super Eight stage once again lost out on a place in the final.