Asia Cup 2025: The Asia Cup has always been more than just a cricket tournament as it is a stage where rivalries intensify, legends are made, and unforgettable memories are created. Since its inception in 1984, the Asia Cup has produced countless thrilling matches and moments that continue to be celebrated by cricket fans across the continent. From last-over thrillers to individual brilliance, the tournament has given cricket lovers stories that will be remembered for generations. Let’s revisit some of the most memorable moments in Asia Cup history. As Asia Cup 2025 is all set to get underway from September 9, but before that let's have a look at the top five memorable moments in the showpiece tournament's history:
1. Asia Cup 1984: India's Inaugural Title Win
The inaugural Asia Cup, held in Sharjah, featured India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The tournament followed a round-robin format, and the team with the most wins would be crowned the champions. In the first match of the tournament, Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by five wickets. India’s first game was against Sri Lanka, where the Lankans were bowled out for a mere 96 runs. Ranjan Madugalle was the top scorer with 38. Indian bowlers Chetan Sharma and Madan Lal both took three wickets each, while debutant Manoj Prabhakar impressed with figures of 2 for 16. India easily chased down the target, with Surinder Khanna scoring an unbeaten 51 and Ghulam Parkar adding 32, securing a decisive 10-wicket victory.
In the tournament's third match, India faced Pakistan. Batting first, India posted a total of 188 for 4 in 46 overs. Surinder Khanna continued his strong form with another half-century, scoring 56. Sandeep Patil contributed 43, and Sunil Gavaskar added 36. Pakistan’s chase was quickly derailed by the Indian bowlers. Roger Binny took 3 for 33 and Ravi Shastri claimed 3 for 40. Despite a 35 from Mohsin Khan, Pakistan’s innings was plagued by four run-outs. With victories in both of their matches, India was crowned the first-ever Asia Cup champions. Surinder Khanna’s consistent performance throughout the tournament earned him both the Man of the Match and Player of the Series awards.
2. Mendis' mayhem vs India in 2008
The 2008 Asia Cup is largely remembered for the emergence of the "mystery spinner," Ajantha Mendis. The pitches in Pakistan were flat and favored batsmen, with 300-run innings becoming a regular occurrence. In the final, both India and Sri Lanka's top-order batsmen were in excellent form, with India's top five averaging over 50 for the tournament. In a strategic move, Sri Lanka had rested Mendis during their previous league match against India, a decision that proved to be a masterstroke in the final.
Chasing Sri Lanka's target of 273, a total that seemed well within reach for India—especially after they had comfortably chased down Sri Lanka’s 308 in their last encounter—India’s seasoned batsmen came up against a new and unknown threat. Despite their reputation as skilled players of spin, they had never faced the 23-year-old Mendis, who had only played eight international matches at the time. After a quick fifty from Virender Sehwag, he was the first to fall to Mendis's deception. Two balls later, Yuvraj Singh was also dismissed by a carom ball. Mendis continued to tear through the Indian top order, using a mix of off-breaks, leg-breaks, and straighter deliveries to claim a stunning 6 for 13. India suffered one of their heaviest defeats, and the match marked the birth of a new cricketing legend, with Mendis’s stellar performance fast-tracking him into Test cricket.
3. Harbhajan Singh's winning six after heated exchange with Shoaib Akhtar in 2008
The rivalry between Shoaib Akhtar and Harbhajan Singh reached a boiling point during a tense moment in the 2010 Asia Cup. In a high-stakes match between India and Pakistan, Harbhajan hit a crucial six off Akhtar in the final overs, a shot that proved instrumental in securing a victory for India. The tension between the two had started earlier when Akhtar bowled a bouncer, leading to a heated exchange of words.
Harbhajan, however, had the final say. In the 50th over, he hit a six off Mohammad Amir, helping India successfully chase down Pakistan's total of 267 and win a thrilling match by three wickets. The moment the ball left his bat, perfectly timed and soaring over the midwicket boundary, Harbhajan let out a powerful roar. As he took off his helmet, he stared directly at Akhtar, who was fielding at third man, in a clear display of triumph and retribution.
4. Virat Kohli's classic 183 against Pakistan in 2012
One of Virat Kohli's most iconic performances came against Pakistan in Mirpur in 2012, on what was a massive stage for both teams. After losing to host Bangladesh in their previous match, India desperately needed a win against their archrivals to stay in the tournament. Pakistan posted a formidable total of 329 in 50 overs, a score that would require India's biggest successful run chase ever, surpassing the legendary NatWest final against England in 2002.
However, India's chase got off to a terrible start when opener Gautam Gambhir was dismissed on the second ball of the innings. This brought Kohli to the crease, who was in the form of his life. Just two innings prior, he had engineered a dramatic chase with a blistering 133 not out off 86 balls against Sri Lanka in Hobart. Building on that momentum, Kohli delivered his best-ever ODI performance, scoring a magnificent 183 off 148 balls. He guided India to a comfortable victory, with this century marking his fourth ODI hundred at that particular ground.
5. Sachin Tendulkar’s historic 100th hundred in 2012:
The 2012 Asia Cup witnessed one of the most anticipated milestones in cricketing history. Sachin Tendulkar became the first and only batsman to score 100 centuries in international cricket. He reached this incredible feat with his 49th ODI century against Bangladesh.