Pakistan's 3 greatest wins in Asia Cup history
We're very close to the start of the 16th edition of the Asia Cup, to be jointly hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan will enter the tournament as the favorites, considering they're the No. 1 ODI side in the ICC Rankings. However, this should be a very close tournament, with Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan all very dangerous opponents in sub-continental conditions, and that's excluding the other heavyweight challenger: India.
Sri Lanka's win in Asia Cup 2022 was their sixth title and they're only one behind India's seven. Pakistan, in contrast, have won the competition only twice, with their last win coming in 2012. They'll want to add to that tally this time around.
Nevertheless, Pakistan have had many memorable moments and matches throughout their history in the tournament. Let's take a look at three of their best wins in Asia Cup history:
#3 Pakistan vs Sri Lanka, Dhaka, Asia Cup 2000 - Final
Pakistan's first Asia Cup triumph came in the 2000 edition of the tournament held in Bangladesh. After winning all three of their matches in the league stage, including one against India, Pakistan faced Sri Lanka in the Final.
They chose to bat first after winning the toss, with Saeed Anwar playing a crucial knock, batting through most of their innings. However, he was dismissed with the score at 173/4 after 39.5 overs and then came a special knock from captain and wicket-keeper Moin Khan.
Khan scored a quickfire 56 off 31 balls and stitched a 104-run unbeaten partnership (off 61 balls) with Inzamam-ul-Haq, who scored 72 runs off 66 balls, to take Pakistan to 277/4. In reply, the Sri Lankan batters were kept quiet by Pakistan, with Wasim Akram, Mohammad Akram, and Arshad Khan picking up two wickets apiece.
Marvan Atapattu's 100 was the only thing that kept the Sri Lankans in the game and after his dismissal, they were bowled out for 238 in 45.2 overs as Pakistan secured their first-ever Asia Cup title.
#2 Pakistan vs Bangladesh, Mirpur, Asia Cup 2012 - Final
The 2012 Asia Cup final was a far more competitive affair than Pakistan's previous successful final in the tournament. Pakistan finished at the top of the points table after securing a bonus point, and India's defeat to Bangladesh earlier in the campaign meant that it was hosts Bangladesh who joined Pakistan in the final at Mirpur.
Bangladesh won the toss and asked Pakistan to bat first on a tricky surface, backing it up with a stellar bowling effort. Mashrafe Mortaza and Nazmul Hossain rattled Pakistan early, but a string of useful cameos from their middle and lower-middle order kept the scoreboard ticking, with wicket-keeper Sarfaraz Ahmed guiding them to 236/9 in 50 overs.
Tamim Iqbal's brisk half-century led Bangladesh's solid response, but Pakistan pulled things back after Umar Gul dismissed the left-handed opener.
Nasir Hossain's 63-ball 28 slowed down Bangladesh's momentum considerably and despite Shakib Al Hasan's 68, they were in trouble after losing skipper Mushfiqur Rahim with the score at 190/6 in the 46th over.
However, Mashrafe Mortaza's cameo of 18 off 9 balls put them in the driver's seat, and with nine runs required off the last over and Mahmudullah still at the crease, it seemed like Bangladesh's match to lose. However, pacer Aizaz Cheema held his nerve and bowled a brilliant final over, picking up a wicket and conceding only six runs as Pakistan sealed the 2012 Asia Cup with a win by two runs.
#1 Pakistan vs India, Mirpur, Asia Cup 2014 - League Stage
Pakistan registered one of their most memorable and thrilling wins against India in the 2014 Asia Cup, where they eventually finished as runners-up to Sri Lanka.
In a group stage match on March 2, 2014, the fierce rivals locked horns in Mirpur. Put into bat by Pakistan, India struggled to sustain any momentum in their innings, despite half-centuries from Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, and Ravindra Jadeja.
Slow knocks from Ajinkya Rahane and Dinesh Karthik (replacing the injured MS Dhoni) bogged them down as they scored 245/8 in 50 overs, an average total. On a spin-friendly track, Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez shined, totaling five wickets between them.
Pakistan started strongly and had a great powerplay, but Ravichandran Ashwin and Amit Mishra pulled things back for India, picking up four wickets for 42 runs (including a run-put). Pakistan were still on course for a win, with Mohammad Hafeez making 75 before he was dismissed.
They were at 233/6 after 48 overs, needing 13 runs to win, and had a well-set Shahid Afridi at the crease. However, Bhuvneshwar Kumar's outstanding 19th over saw him pick up two wickets and concede only three runs.
Ravichandran Ashwin also picked up a wicket on the first ball of the last over, leaving Afridi stranded at the non-striker's end with Pakistan needing 10 off 5 and with only one wicket in hand. However, Junaid Khan managed to give Afridi the strike, who smashed back-to-back sixes to bring to a close a nail-biting contest.