5 Best matches of all time in Asia Cup history

Asia Cup 2023 is just around the corner, it will be the 16^th edition of the tournament since its inception 39 years back in 1984. The tournament will kick off with the first match between the hosts Pakistan and the new entrants Nepal. Team India emerged as the champions of the inaugural edition of the tournament. The fans have witnessed a lot of interesting and thrilling matches in the tournament's history so far.

The list also includes the nail-biting thrillers between the arch-rivals and two Asian cricketing giants. With that said, here in this listicle, we’ll have a look at the top 5 best and most exciting thrillers in the history of the Asia Cup so far.

#1. India vs. Bangladesh (Asia Cup Final, 2018)

It was September 28 almost five years back in 2018 when India and Bangladesh took on each other in the historic final of the Asia Cup 2018. Both teams played this match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and asked Bangladesh to bat first. Batting first, Mashrafe Mortaza’s men got all out on the score of 222 runs in 48.3 overs.

Litton Das scored a brilliant century and contributed with 121 runs with 12 fours and 2 sixes with the willow. While chasing the target, Indian skipper and opener, Rohit Sharma scored 48 runs with three fours and three sixes. Other than him, Dinesh Karthik and former skipper MS Dhoni contributed with the knocks of 37 and 36 runs, respectively. On the back of these knocks, India chased down the target in a thrilling manner on the last ball of the match, scoring 223 runs for the loss of 7 wickets and winning the match by 3 wickets to clinch the title.

#2. Bangladesh vs. Pakistan (Asia Cup, 2014)

The 2014 edition of the Asia Cup was played in Bangladesh. The hosts Bangladesh and Pakistan locked horns in the 8^th match of the tournament at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. Bangladesh skipper Mushfiqur Rahim won the flip of the coin and decided to bat first. Batting first, the hosts posted an impressive total of 326 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in the allotted 50 overs courtesy of Anamul Haque’s 100 runs with 6 fours and 4 sixes, followed by 51 runs each scored by Mominul Haque and skipper Mushfiqur Rahim.

During the run-chase, Pakistan were once struggling but it was an amazing finishing knock from the former skipper Shahid Afridi, who scored 59 runs off just 25 balls with 2 boundaries and 7 sixes with the bat. Earlier, the opener Ahmed Shehzad smashed a brilliant century and scored 103 runs, including 12 fours and a six. On the back of Afridi’s amazing finish, the men in green managed to cross the line in 49.5 overs, scoring 329 runs for the loss of 7 wickets and winning the match by a close margin of 3 wickets.

#3. India vs. Pakistan (Asia Cup, 2014)

The arch-rivals, India and Pakistan locked horns with each other in the 6^th match of the Asia Cup 2014 in Mirpur, Bangladesh. Pak skipper Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss and asked the Indians to bat first. Batting first, the Men in Blue somehow managed to score 245 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in the allotted 50 overs. Opener Rohit Sharma and middle-order batter Ambati Rayudu played the knocks of 56 and 58 runs, respectively. Other than these two, star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja also scored 52 runs.

Former veteran all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez scored 75 runs with the bat during the run-chase after taking 2 wickets with the ball in the first innings. On the back of his knock and Afridi’s thrilling finish with two sixes off Ravichandran Ashwin helped Pakistan to chase down the target in 49.4 overs, winning the match by a very close margin of only one wicket after scoring 245 runs for the loss of 9 wickets.

#4. Pakistan vs. India (Asia Cup, 1986)

Probably one of the best and most thrilling matches in the entire history was none other than the historic final of the Asia Cup 1986, almost 37 years back. The arch-rivals played this match at the Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium in Sharjah. Pak skipper Imran Khan won the toss and asked the Indian team to bat first.

Riding on the brilliant half-centuries from top three batters Kris Srikkanth (75 runs), Sunil Gavaskar (92 runs), and Dilip Vengsarkar (50 runs), India scored 245 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in the allotted 50 overs. While chasing the target, there came a point in the match Pakistan needed four runs off the last ball and the centurion Javed Miandad (116 runs) was on the strike to face Chetan Sharma. Miandad stunned the entire cricketing world as he smashed an unforgettable six off the last ball to win the match for Pakistan by a margin of only 1 wicket.

#5. Pakistan vs. Bangladesh (Asia Cup Final, 2012)

The hosts of Asia Cup 2012, Bangladesh took on Pakistan in the final clash of the tournament; Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur hosted this iconic match in the history of the Asia Cup. Pakistan was asked to bat first by Bangladesh and they posted a total of 236 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in the allotted 5. Overs. Veteran opener Mohammad Hafeez and wicketkeeper-batter Sarfaraz Ahmed contributed with the crucial knocks of 40 and 46 runs, respectively.

While chasing the target, Bangladesh went very close but they still missed to get over the line and Pakistan restricted them to the score of 234 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in the entire 50 overs. Eventually, Pakistan won this thrilling final by 2 runs, the barest of all margins.