Asia Cup has produced some epic encounters and it has been the farewell series of few of the game’s greatest players. Every edition had many unforgettable moments and here we are presenting to you a list of some of the few memorable events and feats achieved in the previous editions of the Asia cup.
- Asia cup (2011/2012) –
a) Bangladesh was the blessed nation where the great Sachin Tendulkar achieved his inhuman feat, completing his long pending HUNDREDTH HUNDRED. It brought to an end one of the most discussed landmarks in the history of cricket. For a long period of time, Sachin’s batting was affected for the weight of the nation waiting for the decorated landmark. Many experts predict this record would stand at the time, as Don Bradman’s 99.94.
b) Virat Kohli continued his merry run making ways by scoring a huge hundred to lead Indian team to a tricky run chase against arch rivals Pakistan. Coming into the match India needed a bonus point to stay in the tournament and Pakistan had scored 329. It seemed a tough target against a quality bowling attack. But as it has been the norm of India’s ODI chases Virat was in the heart of this victory as well, scoring the magic number of Indian ODI cricket 183. The previous owners of this mammoth score are regarded the best captains of the country (Messrs Ganguly and Dhoni). May be it’s a divine message to confirm the future captain of India. This match will also be forever remembered as Sachin Tendulkar’s last ODI. The master blaster duly contributed to this chase by scoring a valuable 53.
- Asia cup (2010) –
a) This was one of the days when the Boom Boom came good. Pakistan were chasing 246 and after a customary top order wobble Shahid Afridi walked out at 33/4. This was one of the rare days where he kept his head and played a sensible knock by knocking the singles and doubles. He played an odd boundary or six, but a more restrained innings by Afridi as wickets tumbled at the other end. And when he scored his first hundred in 5 years, he had placed Pakistan in the driver’s seat at 191/6(Out of the 158 runs scored in this passage of play he had contributed 103!). When he departed Pakistan required 38 out of 54 balls, but in customary unpredictable manner they lost the match courtesy a splendid last spell from Lasith Malinga when he captured the last 3 wickets in two overs. ONE OF THE GREATEST ODI KNOCKS EVER!
b) Another classic India Pakistan encounter. India set a target of 271 and were in a bit of bother at 81/2, when in an situation akin to the world cup final a year later MS Dhoni joined a battling Gautam Gambhir. They steadied the ship and when both fell, India required 56 of 42 balls. Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja brains froze and suddenly India were staring at 49 to win off 28 balls. Suresh Raina brought the finishing skills out of this bag and played a superb knock taking India to 7 runs of 6 balls. Mohammed Asif was to bowl the last over and a single was taken of the first ball. Suresh Raina ran himself out the next ball and the wily Asif gave just 3 runs of his next two balls. India required 3 runs of last two balls when Harbhajan Singh smashed a six over midwicket. He roared repeatedly and the whole of India might have roared that day.
- Asia cup (2008) –
India faced Sri Lanka in the finals of the Asia cup 2008. A typical Sanath Jayasuriya century powered Sri Lanka to 273. It was also the day the Sri Lankans had unleashed a mystery bowler by the name Ajantha Mendis against the Indians. Careful not to expose him in the final league match, between the two teams a few days earlier, Sri Lanka played a tactical move. With his bamboozling off breaks, leg spins, carom balls he spun a web around the Indian batsmen taking 6/13 in a spell of 8 overs. He went to create the same magic against the Indians in the test series later in the year.
- Asia cup (2004) –
Another India Srilanka final. India was chasing a meager 229. For once India played like the team of the 1990’s when Sachin Tendulkar was left to single handedly save India. He tried hard and as long he was in, the game was in balance. But wickets fell at the other end and in a customary fashion India lost the match. With this series, India had lost 9 out of the 13 ODI finals they played and Ganguly was the unlucky skipper at that time.
- Asia cup (2000) –
a) A Sourav Ganguly treat! An unabeaten 135 runs were scored in typical Ganguly style. The prince of Kolkatta took Dhaka by storm as he smashed the hapless Bangladeshis all over the park. There were a few elegant boundaries in the offside earlier in the innings and Sachin was also in a murderous mood smashing 23 runs in an over before getting out. Later Ganguly in the company of former captain Mohammed Azharuddin took India to a smashing victory. This tournament also marked the end of Azhar as he was convicted of match fixing a few weeks later and never played again.
b) Finally lady luck smiled on Pakistan as they won their first Asia cup in their seventh attempt. Saeed Anwar and captain Moin Khan scored fifties to power Pakistan to 277 and their superlative bowling restricted Sri Lanka to 238 runs.
