The coveted Asia Cup is underway and we have already witnessed many brilliant performances. With the Super-4s in sight, let’s take a look at some rather interesting facts about the biggest Asian tournament.
Sri Lanka Co-Hosting With Pakistan
This year marks a historic event as it is the first time in the tournament’s history that it is being co-hosted by two different nations, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
While this is only the second occasion that Pakistan has been selected as a host nation, Sri Lanka is no stranger to this role, having hosted the tournament for the fifth time.
Nepal’s First Asia Cup
This is the first time, India’s neighbour, Nepal is participating in the biggest Asian cricket tournament. Nepal, defeated UAE in the qualifiers to seal their place.
The Oldest Cricket Tournament in the Continent
The Asia Cup stands as the oldest cricket competition on the Asian continent, tracing its origins back to 1984. In that year, cricket powerhouses India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka converged in the United Arab Emirates to kick-start this prestigious event.
Ever-Changing Formats
The tournament has undergone notable evolutionary changes throughout its history. Back in 1984, the tournament started as a round-robin competition, where each team faced each other at least once before the top two teams played in the final.
Later on, the tournament swiftly embraced the One Day International (ODI) format. Subsequently, in 2016, the tournament embraced the T20 format, infusing a surge of excitement and dynamism into the event.
India’s Reign of Glory in the Asia Cup
The Men in Blue have single-handedly dominated the Asia Cup, lifting the trophy seven times, which is still a record. India have won in 1984, 1988, 1990-91, 1997, 2010, 2016, and 2018.
34 Years Until The First Tie
The Asia Cup started in 1984, but the fans had to wait for 34 long years before witnessing its maiden encounter resulting in a draw.
The contest occurred during the 2018 edition of the tournament, featuring India and Afghanistan. It’s worth noting that not a single match in the T20 Asia Cup has ever concluded in a tied result.
India & 5-Wicket Hauls
It is worth noting that only one Indian bowler, Arshad Ayub, has achieved the distinction of claiming a five-wicket haul in the ODI version of the tournament in 1988.
Since that moment, there hasn’t been another instance of an Indian bowler securing a five-wicket haul in the Asia Cup. However, Bhuvneshwar Kumar did manage to achieve this feat in the T20 Asia Cup last year, against Afghanistan.
Also Read: Top Individual Scores in Asia Cup
Most Extras in the History of Asia Cup
Pakistan has a rather unenviable record for conceding the highest number of extras in the history of the Asia Cup.
Pakistan delivered a staggering total of 38 extra runs in matches against India during the 2000 and 2004 tournaments.
Last Non-Sri Lankan Bowler to Pick Up a Five-Wicket Haul
The most recent occurrence of a non-Sri Lankan bowler securing a five-wicket haul dates back to 2008 when Sohail Tanvir (from Pakistan) accomplished this feat.
Since then, there have been seven instances where bowlers achieved five-wicket hauls in the tournament, and notably, every single one of these performances has been delivered by Sri Lankan players.
With such an interesting history, the Asia Cup is surely one of the most prestigious cricketing tournaments on the planet. Now, join the action with MyTeam11 and make your fantasy teams to Win Big! So, stop waiting and START PLAYING!
