 Asia Cup - Battle of regional supremacy
23rd Jun 2008 23:05 IST
Agencies
Some facts about Asia Cup:
-Sri Lanka have hosted Asia Cup the most number of times that is three. UAE and Bangladesh have been hosts twice and India once. Pakistan were to host the fifth edition in 1993 but it was cancelled and now Pakistan get to host it for the first time.
-Pakistan host the ninth edition of the tournament this year. Sri Lanka have the proud distinction of reaching the finals of the cup in all eight previous editions right from its inception in 1984.
-India have won the tournament four times, while the cup has been bagged by Sri Lanka thrice and by Pakistan once.
-The first Asia Cup held in 1984 in Sharjah was a round robin tournament involving India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in which each team played the other once. India won the cup by winning both its matches.
-The second edition in Sri Lanka in 1986 had a final after the three round robin matches. Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh participated in the tournament and Sri Lanka won the cup by defeating Pakistan in the final.
-Bangladesh in 1988 hosted the third edition, which involved India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh who played one match against each other and India and Sri Lanka advanced to the finals where India emerged victors.
-The fourth edition in 1990-91 in India, Pakistan pulled out and so the teams involved were India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Matches were played on a round robin format with each team playing the other once. India retained the cup on home soil.
-In the fifth edition saw the four biggies lock horns again in Sharjah in 1995. India beat Sri Lanka in the finals to win their fourth and last Asia Cup trophy till date
-With the same four teams involved Sri Lanka took revenge in Sri Lanka in 1997 beating India in the finals.
-The seventh edition in Bangladesh in 2000 saw Pakistan win their maiden title beating Sri Lanka in the final.
-Hong Kong and UAE were the additions in the eighth edition in Sri Lanka in 2004. India and Sri Lanka reached the finals where the hosts lifted the cup winning by 25 runs.
-The ninth edition, that kicks off tomorrow, will have Sri Lanka with Bangladesh and UAE in Group A and India, Pakistan together with Hong Kong in Group B. Matches of Group B will be played at Lahore while the all of Group B, the second phase of the tournament involving top two teams from each group and the final will be played at Karachi. |
