Asia Cup - India plays Sri Lanka today

After the travails down under the focus shifts to Mirpur – a better hunting place.  Asia Cup is on and in the inaugural match of the Season, Pakistan defeated a spirited Bangladesh.  It is not a long winding tournament and there are total of 7 matches including the Finals.  India play Srilanka today @ 13.30 hrs IST.  On Mar 16^th, we play Bangladesh and on Mar 18^th, we play Pakistan.   All the matches are to be played at  Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, located in Mirpur, 10 kilometers away from the city.

The inaugural version of Asia cup was held in Apr 1984 at Sharjah and India won the Cup – there were only 3 matches.  India defeated Sri Lanka and Pakistan with Surinder Khanna being the hero and Lanka defeated Pak in the other match.  Sri Lanka is the only team that played in all 10 versions; India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have played 9; while Hong Kong and United Arab Emirates have played 2 each.  Overall, India has played 36, winning 22 – a success % of 61; while Sri Lanka have played 40 – won 29 - % of 72.5%.  India lifted the Asia cup the most times (five) followed by Sri Lanka (four). India appeared in every Cup apart from the 1986 (India pulled out due to strained cricketing relations with Sri Lanka)

The ICC Asia Cup is an international men's One Day International cricket tournament,  established in 1983 when the Asian Cricket Council was founded as a measure to promote goodwill between Asian countries. Originally scheduled to be held every two years, the first tournament was held in 1984.  Sri Lanka hosted the second edition, in 1986;  3^rd was in Bangladesh; 4^th in India in 1990-91 (Pak did not play this); 5^th in 1995 back at Sharjah; 6^th in Lanka in 1997; 7^th in Bangladesh in 2000; 8^th edition in Lanka in 2004;  9^th in Pak in 2008; 10^th in Sri Lanka in 2010 and now comes the 11^th edition. 

Mirpur may not be Perth or Hobart – but Lankans have remained a tough opponent to beat in Asia cup.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.