The Asia Cup stands as one of the most prestigious cricket tournaments in the continent, featuring a fierce competition among Asian sub-continent nations. The inaugural event took place in 1984 at the iconic Sharjah venue in the United Arab Emirates and over the years, the tournament has evolved from a predominantly ODI tournament to the T20I format as well.
The rotating formats: ODI and T20I
As per the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Asia Cup has been played on a rotation basis between ODI and T20I formats since 2016. This rotation aligns with the formats of the respective World Cups, adding another layer of excitement and strategy to the tournament.
India and Sri Lanka: The dominant forces
When it comes to the ODI format, India and Sri Lanka are the undisputed champions, each having lifted the trophy five times. However, India took the lead in overall Asia Cup titles when they clinched the inaugural T20I edition in 2016.
The surprise Entry of Hong Kong in 2018
The 2018 edition of the Asia Cup saw an unexpected twist with Hong Kong qualifying as the sixth team. This added a new dimension to the competition, setting the stage for an exhilarating final phase that commenced on 15 September 2018.
As the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team goes into the multi-team tournament in preparation for the upcoming ODI World Cup, let's have a look at some surprising records from Asia Cup history:
1. A final-less inaugural edition in 1984
The first Asia Cup in 1984 was unique as it featured only three matches between India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. India emerged victorious, defeating both rivals comfortably in a tournament dominated by bowlers as the tournament was held in league format.
2. No ducks for Indian Batters in ODIs
In a jaw-dropping statistic, no Indian batter has ever been out for a duck in the ODI format of the Asia Cup. Sri Lanka leads the list of most ducks with 17, followed by Bangladesh with 11 and Pakistan Cricket with 9.
3. India's Lone 5-Wicket Haul
India's only 5-wicket haul in the Asia Cup came in 1988 against Pakistan. Arshad Ayub's spell of 9-0-21-5 remains both India's and the tournament's first 5-wicket haul.
4. Virender Sehwag's Bowling Prowess
Contrary to his reputation as a batter, Virender Sehwag holds the record for the best bowling strike rate in an innings in the Asia Cup. His spell of 2.5-0-6-4 against Bangladesh remains legendary.
5. Sachin Tendulkar: The All-Rounder
Sachin Tendulkar's all-round skills were often on display in the Asia Cup. In 23 matches, he picked up 17 wickets, standing 10th in the list of highest wicket-takers in the tournament.
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