India's 3 greatest wins in Asia Cup history
The 2023 edition of the Asia Cup will be played in a hybrid model in Sri Lanka and Pakistan from August 30 to September 17. The tournament was earlier supposed to be hosted by Pakistan, but the itinerary had to be changed after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to travel to the country.
Team India are the most successful side in the Asia Cup, having won the championship seven times - six times in the ODI format and once in the T20I format. Sri Lanka are the second most successful team in the Asia Cup, having won the competition six times, while Pakistan have emerged victorious twice.
With the ODI World Cup to be held in India in October-November, the Asia Cup will be crucial for the Men in Blue as a preparatory tournament. Rohit Sharma and Co. will thus be extremely keen to make an impact.
India have come up with some fantastic performances in Asia Cup over the years. With the 2023 edition to be held in the ODI format, we look back at three of India’s best Asia Cup wins in one-dayers.
#3 India vs Sri Lanka, Super Four match (Karachi - 2008)
India chased down a challenging target of 309 in the Super Four match against Sri Lanka in Karachi in the 2008 edition. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first in the game.
The Lankans posted an impressive 308/8 as Chamara Kapugedera top-scored with 75 off 78 balls, while Chamara Silva (50 off 56) and Mahela Jayawardene (50 off 63) also chipped in with handy contributions.
For India, Ishant Sharma claimed 2/55, while RP Singh, Irfan Pathan, Praveen Kumar, and Pragyan Ojha all picked up one scalp each.
Team India came up with a clinical effort in the chase and got home by six wickets in 46.5 overs. Gautam Gambhir (68 off 61) and Virender Sehwag (42 off 34) got India off to a great start, adding 92 for the opening wicket in 11.4 overs.
After the openers were dismissed, Suresh Raina (54 off 66) and MS Dhoni (67 off 62) added 99 for the third wicket.
Yuvraj Singh (36* off 31) and Rohit Sharma (22* off 28) provided the finishing touches to the innings, featuring in an unbroken 57-run stand for the fifth wicket.
Dhoni was named Player of the Match for his mature fifty and two catches behind the stumps to dismiss Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara.
#2 India vs Pakistan, Match 5, (Mirpur - 2012)
India chased down 330 in match number five of the 2012 Asia Cup in Mirpur. Pakistan put up an impressive 329/6 batting first, a total the Men in Blue chased down in emphatic fashion in 47.5 overs, with six wickets in hand.
Pakistan’s openers Mohammad Hafeez (105 off 113) and Nasir Jamshed (112 off 104) struck brilliant centuries, adding 224 for the first wicket in 35.5 overs. While Hafeez struck nine fours and a six, Jamshed slammed 10 fours and a six. Younis Khan then provided the finishing touches to the Pakistan innings, hitting six fours in his 34-ball 52.
India got off to a poor start in the chase as Hafeez trapped Gautam Gambhir lbw for a duck. Virat Kohli, however, proved to be the chase master again, smashing 183 off only 148 balls.
Kohli was completely dominant over Pakistan’s bowlers, clobbering 22 fours and a six. Sachin Tendulkar (52 off 48) and Rohit (68 off 83) also played crucial knocks as India aced the chase.
#1 India vs Bangladesh, Final (Dubai - 2018)
India have won a number of Asia Cup finals, but their triumph over Bangladesh in the 2018 summit clash in Dubai was special since they sneaked home off the very last ball.
Team India bowled first after winning the toss and held Bangladesh to 222. They were favorites to lift the title, but an inspired Bangladesh made life difficult for India, taking the match to the last ball.
Litton Das played a fantastic knock for Bangladesh, scoring 121 off 117 balls. His innings featured 12 fours and two sixes. Mehidy Hasan Miraz contributed 32 in an opening stand of 120.
Lower in the order, Soumya Sarkar contributed 33. However, the other batters failed as Kuldeep Yadav claimed 3/45 and Kedar Jadhav 2/41.
In reply, skipper Rohit top-scored with 48, while Dinesh Karthik contributed 37 and Dhoni 36. However, Bangladesh kept chipping away at the wickets to stay in the hunt. Ravindra Jadeja (23) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (21) helped India recover, but it was the calm head of Jadhav (23* off 27) that took India home. He hit a six and a four.
With one needed off the last ball, Jadhav scampered a leg bye off Mahmudullah as India lifted the Asia Cup for the seventh time.